Local Flavor :)

It's chile harvesting season in New Mexico! And there is nothing like fresh roasted chile, let me tell you! While there are many roasters set up in parking lots & at the farmer's market here in Santa Fe, I had always wanted to go to the Chile Festival in Hatch, NM, so I got the weekend off from work, and off I went. For those of you that are not familiar w/ Hatch... it is considered "The Chile Capitol of the World," and there is something special about Hatch Green Chiles!

Here's a shot driving into the Festival, set just a mile or so out of town. Having never been before, I did not know what to expect. It had the feel of a small town county fair~ rides for the kids, vendors & booths (both local & out of state) selling all sorts of items, & tons of food options.

(I had the green chile relleno burrito & green chile ice cream!)

Booth & vendors~ nothing (except the food!) really caught my eye...

until I found the "chile section..." sampling the red chile salsa, I was sold.

:)

I think more than the festival itself, was just walking around the town of Hatch & seeing chiles hanging from nearly everywhere... and the scent of fresh roasting chile wafting through the air. Not to mention to observe a typically sleepy little town transform into a bustling metropolis of chile lovers!

I did not eat at Sparky's  this time around, but I have before, and I will tell you they've  got a pretty darn good Green Chile Cheeseburger... as you can probably tell by the line out the door!

Chiles...

chiles...

... and more chiles!

It was a really fun experience, especially as a photographer & chile lover.

For more information on Hatch & the Chile Festival, click here .

For an interesting & important article about the fate of the New Mexico Green Chile click here. For other chile related data & links, here's a fun website~

http://www.nmchileassociation.com/id20.html

 Before I wrap it up, I've got to share a couple other places w/ you, should you ever be out this way. :) The first is  The Buckhorn Tavern.  It's a little gem of a place just off of I-25 in San Antonio, NM. Their Green Chile Cheeseburger beat out Bobby Flay (of the Food Network ) in a "throw down."

Let me tell you, they live up to their reputation! It's gotta be one of the best Green Chile Cheeseburgers around.

Another place I've got to share w/ you that I just happened to find while looking for lodging in Truth or Consequences (what a cool name for a town,) is Blackstone Hot Springs. This place is quaint, hip, cool, relaxing... well just plain wonderful. They only have 7 rooms, most of which go for the rate of a regular hotel room, but their tubs carry healing hot spring water direct from the source! 

An awesome place for the weary traveler to relax. My only regret is that I only had one night, so I didn't get the chance to check out the town much. If you get the opportunity, I'd highly recommend this little oasis in the desert~ stay a couple of nights if you can!

...

I Love the Farmer's Market!

I absolutely love the Santa Fe Farmer's Market! It was worth getting up early & going before work on Saturday.

It can get really crowded, so early morning is really a great time to go... I easily had enough time to stop at all my favorite booths, take photos, chit-chat a bit with the vendors & still make it to work on time!

My first stop is always for fresh greens... lots of others had the same idea!

There are so many wonderful goodies~ from freshly baked breads & local jams & honey, to organic, free range meats... and every possible vegetable in season that you could think of!

And spices too! Along with red chile, heirloom beans, soup mixes, & freshly made salsa!

Aren't these fingerling potatoes cute? They are particularly delicious fried up in olive oil & garlic! 

Another of my favorite stops is for Goat Cheese! It's a great addition to a fresh salad, but it's also my after-work-guilty-pleasure... Green Chile Goat cheese & crackers.... yum!!

If you live in New Mexico, then you know it's green chile season here, and there are chiles galore at the Farmer's Market!

Aren't they beautiful?! One of the coolest things (especially for a busy person) is that you can purchase a bag of FRESHLY roasted green chiles... which saves a lot of time!

Romero Farms

Chile roasting in action! Talk about fresh! In my opinion, green chile goes good with everything... I eat them plain, scrambled in eggs, with my sandwiches... I love 'em!

Another special treat were these organic blackberries from Santa Cruz Farms out of Espanola... probably the best I've ever tasted!

As if your mouth wasn't watering enough... some sweet treats!

I ended up having an apple/cranberry/walnut streusel (not pictured here... but equally as mouth watering!) The Farmer's Market is such a special treat for me! When I was up in Oregon, going to school & pinching every penny, I was living on some foods that were probably not that great for me... so there is a perk to that pesky full time work~ fresh food, among other things. I also feel good supporting the Local Farmers, versus the corporate giants. And from an environmental standpoint, think of all the fossil fuels saved from buying local! So many reasons to love your local Farmer's Market!

:)