[CH] We're living here in Allentown.............
Dave Hendricks (bvdrangs@enter.net)
Wed, 3 Mar 1999 06:23:03 +0000
Billy Joel sings about the factories down but things are looking up
for chile heads in the Allentown area. First of all, a Wegman's market
opened up with a pretty fair selection of fresh hot peppers, a decent
Hispanic section and a rack full of hot sauces. They even got in some
Buffalo Chipotle sauce (which was almost impossible to get around
here). In addition we have two Mexican restaurants with grocery stores
attached giving us another supply of fresh and dried chiles, plus
canned goodies of all types. Stopping in a Giant market the other day
I noticed a big change in their Hispanic section and found chipotles
in adobo from two different packers plus quart jars of pickled chile
pequins for a mere $4.65. This really sounds like a bargain. It almost
looks like a jar of oval peas. I really should try them considering
the store is about 100 yards from my house. Within the last few weeks
a hot sauce stand has opened in the Allentown Fairgrounds Farmers
Market. It is not large but has a fair selection. The owner tells me
that the selection is getting larger all the time. It is known as The
Feisty Pepper and will have a website soon! When I know the url, I'll
post it. They do have an email address and will send a catalog,
feistypepr@aol.com
With the James Weaver's Meadowbrook Farm close by (home of Alma
Weaver's Hot Pepper jellies and fiery food fests in nearby Bowers and
Emmaus, we are not in the waste land that we once were, at least not
if you are a chile head!
Just a side note, I was in a chili cook-off at our church Saturday and
placed second. I thought that the first place chili was kind of wimpy
but it won by one vote. Since voting was done by the general group and
not by a panel of chili testers, I was still pretty pleased. I had to
hold back on the heat so as not to destroy my chances of even placing.
The result was spicy but not too hot and really flavorful. The
ultimate compliment came after the contest when people started asking
for the recipe (I didn't notice them ask the winner). We had a ball
and took jalepeno corn bread and my ancho cheese bread made with
Calvin's powder. We also carried several bottles of hot sauce and more
of Calvin's powder for added zing, plus others brought chopped
jalepenos, scotch bonnets and other hot peppers. Twice as many people
showed up as were expected and we ran out of chili. We didn't get any
and headed to a Mexican restaurant for margaritas and chile rellenos.
We didn't mind and the youth group raised almost $300. The kids did
think it was excessive when I showed up wearing cowboy boots, chile
pepper apron, Cajun Cookery T-shirt, Lone Star badge and my black
10-gallon hat. At least I was having fun!
Dave Hendricks
"BVD'Rangs, anything less is just a stick"
bvdrangs@enter.net
http://www.enter.net/~bvdrangs/index.html