Terroire makes a difference.

Hatch vs. Anaheim

I find Anaheim peppers bland. No heat and not much of an aroma.

Hatches are somewhat meatier, with more flavor and perhaps a bit sweeter.

there's a guy sellling the plants for growing all of these chillies at our local farmer's market every spring. for the past few years we've been buying the ones we've never heard of and trying them out. i plant them in big black tubs tucked up to a south-facing concrete wall and they are usually producing well into october.

i enjoy growing them, but not eating them. mr. pique enjoys eating them.

Hatch Chiles, as far as I can tell, are Chiles that were cultivated from the original variety developed in Hatch, but there are many varieties. I'm not sure, but I think that chiles labeled as hatch have to be grown in the hatch area, and certainly at least grown in New Mexico. Awhile back, NM passed a law that you couldn't claim something as NM chile if it wasn't actually grown in NM. Kind of like champagne.

Yeah, but the issue here is that the Anaheim supposedly is genetically a Hatch chile, just grown around Anaheim.

But I think anyone with taste buds and an olfactory bulb that works can tell the difference. Terroire is important.

100% - which is part of why NM passed its law, I think.

Oh well. If I want the real thing, I’ll just have to order something from Zia.

But for someone who’s only had bell and poblano peppers, plus the hot Mexican and Indian types, the Anaheim was pretty nice. A placeholder.

quote:

Originally posted by RealPlayer:
Oh well. If I want the real thing, I’ll just have to order something from Zia.

But for someone who’s only had bell and poblano peppers, plus the hot Mexican and Indian types, the Anaheim was pretty nice. A placeholder.

I used to grow Anaheims (natch!). They’re tasty for sure but there’s something about the Hatch chilis that the Anaheims just don’t have.

I know TJs stocks them when they’re in season, or at least they did.