Holiday Gifts for the Cook or Baker (Or For Your Own Kitchen)

Green and red New Mexico chiles (Screencap via The Hatch Chile Store)

Whole Chili Peppers

Chilis are native to the Americas, but once “discovered,” they quickly spread to become one of the most popular ingredients in the world. They’re prized for their spicy heat and fruit flavors, and capsaicin even has anti-inflammatory properties. They also make wonderful gifts for people who love to cook global flavors.

Marx Pantry sells various chili sampler packs with a choice of hot, medium, mild, mixed and organic chilis. La Tienda offers high-quality whole peppers from Mexico, including guajillos, noras, anchos and chiles de arbol.

Spices Inc carries pretty much every type of dried chili on the planet. Choose from nine different mild peppers, six medium peppers, seven kinds of hot peppers, and six types of “crazy hot” peppers. Their store lists Scoville units (the measurement of chilis’ heat) along with prices.

Then there is the elusive New Mexico green and red chilis. The super-fruity green variety ranges from mild to medium heat. The mature red New Mexico chilis (same pepper, just riper) is hotter, but retains the yummy fruity flavor. But you cannot get these prized peppers outside of New Mexico, except through the internet. The Hatch Green Chile Store will mail frozen, fire-roasted, hand-peeled red or green New Mexico chilis all over North America. The site also includes classic New Mexico chili recipes that every cook will want to try. You can also find the green kind through Hatch Chile Express and ChileMonster. Order this very seasonal delicacy while supplies last!