Help me obtain yummy, convenient New Mexico chiles along the I-5 corridor!

May 1, 2009 9:16 AM

Help me obtain yummy, convenient frozen New Mexico chiles along the I-5 corridor!

I've always kept tubs of chopped, frozen green chiles (such as the Bueno Foods or Albuquerque Tortilla Co. brand) for quick n' easy year-round use, but cannot find them anywhere near Seattle (mail-order shipping is outrageous, like $50 for six.)

However, this weekend I'm returning from the Bay Area along I-5, so if anyone knows where to buy some along the way, I would be delighted. And if anyone does know where to find them in the Seattle area, you would be my absolute hero!

posted by bunji to food & drink (12 comments total)

I don't have an answer to your specific question, but I do know just what you're talking about, and I share your pain.

Did you used to get these chilies while in California? I'm pretty surprised that you found them at all. I grew up in Albuquerque, and after our family moved to Virginia we tried to find some, or someone that would ship them, to no avail.

While living in Albuquerque, we had a family friend move away. Though this sounds crazy, we shipped them 25lbs of fresh chilies on air mail each season. It's just about the only way to get them anywhere outside of NM. I'm living in Texas now, and Bueno doesn't distribute here in Austin. We did get a small batch of fresh Hatch, which I was very happy about, and squirreled away my own frozen tub.

I still need to find a real replacement for hot fresh ABQ tortilla factory tortillas... mmm...
posted by fontophilic at 10:34 AM on May 1

Yeah. You have to know someone around here (I'm near Hatch, personally) who will buy them in season and ship them to you. Otherwise its very expensive. I think the problem is that New Mexicans love their Green Chili. We consume most of our own crop, so there isn't much left for the rest of the country.

You'll have to plan a trip to New Mexico come picking season, and follow your nose to the nearest roaster. Be sure you get them roasted as they will last longer in your freezer that way (plus it makes it easier to pill).
posted by nickerbocker at 10:57 AM on May 1 [1 favorite has favorites]

Can't help much with I-5 but it's been my experience that if you want frozen you're going to have to bite the bullet for shipping. You might see if there's a group for NM ex pats - I know there's one in the Chicago burbs that bands together every autumn to make a huge order.

Also, if you're not totally averse to canned trader joes has canned hatch chile under their private label. I buy like a dozen cans of that stuff at a time.

(sigh. Today I am craving a frontier breakfast burrito in a bad way.)
posted by sugarfish at 10:59 AM on May 1 [1 favorite has favorites]

I gave up buying even red New Mexico chile outside of NM. Fortunately shipping on the red is cheap. I don't know of a source for green in San Francisco.

Screw the breakfast burrito: I'm craving a Frontier Roll. Also I now feel a little sick in my stomach.
posted by Nelson at 11:17 AM on May 1

Psst: You can order bulk Frontier food... it looks like it's a pain, but when you need those sweet rolls, you need those sweet rolls. No idea what the shipping costs are like, though.
posted by NoraReed at 11:31 AM on May 1

Here in the Spokane area, one of the mexican food deli/grocery stores has a genuine southern NM Green Chile Roaster, and has a pallet or three of the fresh chiles shipped up and roasted on-site, just like you find outside every grocery store in Las Cruces during the peak months. Oh, man, talk about an unexpected luxury. My mouth is watering as I type this.

I also have not one but four contacts in southern NM who take pity on me and ship me boxes of 4oz cans of hot chopped green, or who will pack and ship a bag of fresh green during that magic time of year... I still have bags of home-roasted frozen chiles in the freezer from last harvest, FedEx'd here by people who love me I had to drop every and and roast and freeze for two days to get it all done. There's really no other way to get the stuff without "knowing people". Believe me, I have tried!!!

Nelson / NoraReed: I'm frightened to know about the availability of Frontier Rolls. Why have you done this to me???
posted by hippybear at 11:48 AM on May 1

*sigh* er, um... FedEx'd here by people who love me. I had to drop everything and roast and freeze...

My brain and hands... will they EVER really get along?
posted by hippybear at 11:51 AM on May 1

They actually used to have the Bueno chiles at the Tulalip Wal-Mart, of all places, but stopped carrying them. There's a Chowhound rumor that they were at some Albertsons', but I have yet to come across any. I also requested that Amazon Fresh stock them, which they said they might consider.

Fontofilic, I grew up in Colorado, where they were available in the regular grocery stores. Currently, I get them by asking everyone who comes to visit to lug some in their carry-on. Anyone have any idea whether it might cost less that $50 to get someone I know to FedEx a case?
posted by bunji at 12:17 PM on May 1

And by "fontofilic" I mean "fontophilic", which I suppose means my brain and hands are at odds, too.
posted by bunji at 12:23 PM on May 1

You don't have to have your greens FedExed, they will ship fine via regular mail or UPS if they are fresh and not roasted. You can roast them grill outdoors.

Here's an article on cooking with NM greens.

As far as Seattle sources, a few years back I heard about a store in the Pike's Place market area that specialized in spices and supposedly would get shipments of NM chiles in season. Have no idea what it was called or even if they are still around.

Trader Joe's in Albuquerque has cans of hatch green chile that I've found to be much better than other canned green. Rather mild but tasty. It's not all vinegary like some of them. I would assume they aren't making this product just for NM. My can is labeled "New Mexico Hatch Valley Fire Roasted Diced Green Chile."

Frontier rolls though... ugh. Can't see why someone would mail order those.
posted by yohko at 10:55 AM on May 2

Oh, roast them on a grill outdoors that is. Never, ever indoors. You might also want some goggles and gloves for chopping them. Take contact lenses out beforehand.
posted by yohko at 11:00 AM on May 2

Sorry if this is off topic, but I have a one foot ristra from the season before last that I don't need. Perhaps a mefite out there wants to cover the shipping on it... Preference to the OP if they want some reds.
posted by yohko at 11:17 AM on May 2