Chile Time

The further re-modeling of the old building we are going to be moving into, thus making our new building is progressing.  We are putting some finishing touches after getting the plastic sheeted walls up, and then we will start moving.  Hopefully within a month we will have a new address in an old building.

Justin

It has been too long since we posted anything up here, and our only excuse is that we have been too busy.  The new place that we've spent almost 2 years trying to get into will be ready within a month.  Because of that, we have been bouncing back and forth between the current place and the future and haven't had time to sit down and write a blog.  To make up for it, the first five people to use the code 113047 on their next order over $20 will get free shipping on that order.

The Truck Farm

 

Green Chile season is coming to an end soon, and while red chile will still be coming out of the fields for some time, the smell of the roasting of green chile wafting through the valley is a thing of the past and of the future.  In honor of the passing of the season, here is a recipe off of our recipe page that has a unique (and tasty) use for green chile.

It is the heart of chile season here in the Mesilla Valley, and until this year I don't think I realized how serious people around here take it.  People plan their lives around the chile.  It is water cooler talk throughout the city as people discuss when they are going to get it and from who.  There may not be another place in the country where an entire community is consumed with a desire for a seasonal produce item.  Ninety percent of the people in this valley will have a bag of chile in their freezer come October.  Think about the harvests in your area and ask yourself if such a high percentage of locals buy the item being harvested.  A lot of people turn the chile harvest into a party every year, inviting a bunch of friends over to have a roasting party where they drink beer, roast chile, and eat it straight off of the grill.  Of course, inviting everyone over for drinks is a good way to get free labor to help with the peeling and bagging that has to be done.  It is a labor intensive process that can take about five hours per 30 pounds of chile.  Luckily, none of you have to worry about that.

Justin Hawman

We lost an important part of The Truck Farm Family, and the most important part of the Hawman family recently.  Cleda Hawman died suddenly of an apparent heart attack on August 4th.  As we ease ourselves back into the everyday world without her, please bear with us as we mourn Justin's mother and Jim's wife of 42 years.  Anyone interested can look at the obituary and sign the guest book here. 
The Truck Farm

The renovation of our new place continues.  The rough parts (think rough drafts) are almost done.  The electrical should be approved and the frames completed this week.  With the electric being roughed in there is no electricity in the building which does slow the progress of the woodwork and other things that are made easier with power tools.
Jim Hawman

For the curious out there, the remodel on our new building is proceeding as well as can be expected.  The framing for the new kitchens should be mostly done by next week and the drains have been placed and approved.  All that is left is the other ninety percent of the work and we should be ready to start moving in!
Jim Hawman

Summer is here in full force down in the Mesilla Valley.  We've had a record string of triple digit days lasting a week and a half with 108 being the height of heat so far.  Worse, the lows are sticking to around eighty so the nights aren't even cool. The heat is unbearable, and wishing for winter has become a full time recreational activity.  However, there is a big bright spot on the horizon: Chile Season!  In a few weeks the chile fields will start to yield green chile, roasters will be fired up, and the smell of the valley will be one to make everybody hungry.  We'll have to wait out this heat wave in order to get to that one.
Cleda Hawman

Here in our store, it is fairly common for people to come in and comment on how good the place smells, right before they start sneezing.  We have a lot of chile floating in the air from the Tia Rita products that use powder that can lift up into the air.  Over the years the smell of the chile has permeated the walls giving the whole place a pleasant odor.  However, when we are actually mixing and bagging the dry stuff can irritate the nose.  The surprise however, is that the hotter the pepper is doesn't always correspond with how many people sneeze.  The red chile is usually hotter than the green chile we use, but the green leads to far more gesundheits.  Habanero, the hottest pepper that we work with, has nothing on jalapeno powder as far as sneezing and coughing go.  This has lead us to theorize that the nose knows what color it is currently sniffing and dislikes green for whatever reason.

Jim Hawman

Do you really like guacamole?  So much so that you keep trying to eat it for a meal but your significant other won't let you because it is an appetizer not a meal and put that spoon down now!  Well, here's a recipe that you can compromise on.

 

Guacamole Potatoes

3 large potatoes

1 avocado

1 pkg Mexican Meat Seasoning

 

Rinse and skin the potatoes.  Chop the potatoes into bits and pieces. Boil potatoes 15-20 minutes or until very tender.  While cooking the taters, skin, de-pit and quarter the avocado.  When the potatoes are tender enough to mash, drain off the water and add the avocado quarters and Mexican Meat Seasoning.

Mash. Serve.
Justin Hawman