[CH] Re: chiles

Celeste or Dave Anderson (Gtoughchile@mail.greatbasin.net)
Tue, 16 Feb 1999 09:53:02 +0000 

I normally reply to this stuff privately, but I've run into Margaret 
before. There is also a group called Tomato@globalgarden.com which 
doesn't receive as many messages in a month as this list receives in 
a day because Margaret and a couple of self appointed "experts" 
attempt to intimidate almost every one who posts. Therefore, I'm 
responding to everyone.

> I subscribe to chile-heads digest, and saw the following:
> 
> 
> Date: Sun, 14 Feb 1999 09:39:27 +0000
> From: "Celeste or Dave Anderson" <Gtoughchile@mail.greatbasin.net>
> Subject: Re: [CH] peppers defined?
> 
> > OK,
> > 
> > Lets define some peppers?
> > 
> > Ancho?
> 
> A dried Poblano. If dried when ripe it has a darker color and is 
> called Mulato
> 
> I disagree with you on this one.  Mulato is a different chile than a
> Poblano/ancho.  I've grown them for years, and order seeds for mulato and
> seeds for anchos.  If they were interchangeable, that would be reflected in
> the seed orders.  Enchanted Seeds in Las Cruces is a knowledgeable outfit,
> and they sell Ancho seeds and Ancho mulato ("Same as Ancho but turns
> chocolate brown at maturity.")

Poblano means from the valley of Puebla. Puebla is a very pretty city 
southeast of Mexico City and is supposedly the origin of Moles. Ancho 
means "wide" in Spanish. Just like Habaneros which have many colors, 
any flat, wide heart shaped chile is a Poblano when fresh and Ancho 
when dried. This is the most used chile in Mexico. These are the 
names I have found in only three of my chile references. and I am 
sure there are more:

Chile Colorado, Mulato, Mulato Islena, Chile para Rellenar, Chile 
Joto, Mexican Chile. Cultivars are Ancho Esmeralda, Ancho Flor de 
Pabellon, Ancho Verdeno, Chile de Chorro, Miahuateco, Mulato Roque 
and Mulato V-2.
 
> > Chipotle?
> 
>  Any thick walled Chile which must be smoked rather than dried. 
> Jalapeno is used most often and canned Chipotles are usually 
> Jalapenos. 
> 
> Again, I'd disagree to some extent.  I think Chipotles are always smoked
> jalapenos. Smoked serranos are called moritas.
> Serranos are also smoked, and Jim Campbell the elder 
> smokes Red Savina Habaneros. He rolls his own <BG>.

The following is quoted from "Peppers, the Domesticated Capsicums" 
(New Edition) which is available from Amazon.com at my bookstore.

Smoking is a pre-Columbian method for drying thick walled chillies, 
which were then called "pochchilli" (smoked chilli) and now 
"chilpotli" (chipotle). Commercial chilli smoking is not done in the 
United States at this time. It is however, the method by which 
chipotles are produced in Mexico. Fully ripened red jalapenos or any 
thick-walled chillies are placed on a bamboo grate over a pit in the 
ground. A tunnel carries the smoke from the fire pit to the grate 
in the same way that a chinese smoke oven works. They may be smoked 
with or without the seeds (chipotle capones). Try a Mr. Meat Smoker- 
type oven. Usually fully ripe red Jalapenos are used; that's why they 
are so much hotter than the fresh green ones. Canned in a vinegar 
sauce they become chipotles adobado. Use them dry or rehydrated to 
impart a subtle smoky flavor to mayonnaise and other sauces. Smoked 
green New Mexican/Anaheim chilles are called "pasados".

Jean Andrews uses Chilli instead of Chile because she believes that 
it is the correct first written rendition of the Nahuatl word.

The references are: Peppers, the Domesticated Capsicums

The Great Chile Book by Mark Miller

The Pepper Lady's Pocket Pepper Primer, also by Jean Andrews.


Dave Anderson
Tough Love Chile Co.
http://www.tough-love.com
e-mail Chilehead@tough-love.com