Because New Mexico is generally lacking in trees, we don't have the most noticeable sign of autumn here. Also, the days continue to be very sunny and quite warm until the Winter Solstice.
So without the turning leaves and the nippy days, how do we know it's autumn? If we don't have pumpkin spice, what do we have?
We have chile smoke. Because autumn is when the chile roasters appear.
Most people are aware that New Mexico is known for chiles. The chiles with the best PR are Hatch chiles. They are grown in a town called Hatch, in an irrigated agricultural area which is a very fun place to visit. These are the most widely distributed chiles. All grocery stores in New Mexico will have Hatch chiles in their produce departments in the fall. They can be purchased in big boxes. Many stores also have roasters outside, so you can bring your box of chiles out and have them roasted right away.
But there are other places in New Mexico that grow chiles. Lots of them. And they will bring their chiles to cities all over the state to sell.
That's why there was a pick-up truck with a trailer of chiles parked on the side of the road in the city I was in a couple of weeks ago.
There were both red and green chiles, and they were being sold by the small bag, the small bucket, a five-gallon bucket, and a box. There were medium, hot, and extra-hot. Knowing that even "mild" New Mexico chiles are way too hot for me, I bought a five-gallon bucket of the medium ones. It cost me twenty dollars.
They had roasters there, too, and all chiles were roasted for free.
10 comments:
55 degrees last night, and I slept well. Also, APPLES!! I have Ginger Gold and Summer Rambo in the fridge right now. And the notices that peaches are over for the year have come up as well. I froze my last batch yesterday--
There is a smell. I think it is the dead leaves falling from the trees when daylight lessens. It smells similar to a barn full of tobacco leaves curing. And the crickets start singing in the evening.
Oh yes, SLEEPING! Yay! I'm with you there. I have never heard of Summer Rambo, but I think that's the best apple name ever.
I have no idea what curing tobacco smells like. This is why this is a fun question: It's so specifically regional.
It's the angle of the light during the day, and sunset creeping earlier.
Cool nights also help. Cats sleep on my bed again.
I think the way I can tell is that peaches and tomatoes are almost done and apples are just starting; and the days are so much shorter. No signs of the trees changing yet, and although the weather is a little cooler it could easily get hot again.
So I'd say produce more than anything. No chiles though!
It's Autumn in Minnesota when the mice decide it's time to move into the house.
So even the two of y’all who don’t eat even the mildest mild can eat your chili’s in stews, etc. That’s great as they taste really good.
Yes, as long as there's not too much in there. It really does add so much flavor apart from the spice.
I live in Singapore where we don’t really have any seasons! There are two monsoon seasons but nothing that equates to seasons in the US or Europe.
We do celebrate Deepavali every autumn do for me it’s lights in houses, Little India lit up and people out dancing and celebrating all week long. I’m not Hindu but I still take part.
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