You can't think of New Mexico without the chile coming to mind. The first chile was thought to have been brought to New Mexico from South America in the late 1500's by the Spanish explorers who journeyed up to North America from places like Bolivia and Peru. Birds are also credited with the migration of chile seeds to North America, since they are naturally attracted to red fruit and, unlike more other small mammals, are equipped with digestive tracts that chemically soften seed coats without damaging the potential for germination. This all led to the lush chile fields we all know in Hatch and Southwestern New Mexico and even the colder climates of Chimayo and other areas of Northern New Mexico. Jalapenos, bell peppers and New Mexico green chiles are the most common pepper in American meals, but there are actually over 3,000 varieties of chile peppers grown world wide.
Late summer is wonderful in new Mexico when the landscape is littered with red fields and rooftops.
These are exported to Africa and Europe for use as a natural dye and seasonings. This has become quite a lucrative market in that the chile for paprika earns more per pound than the pungent edible red. They are allowed to ripen much longer than the red chile, far into December, to achieve the brightest color possible. Ristras hung by a door are a symbol of good harvest, welcome and indication that good food can be found inside. In honor of May being National Salsa Month, the staff at the library have conducted tireless tests to see which salsa ranks the best.