CHILES
              ***********

Background
----------
I am not an expert, but I was interested in making a good turkey mole
for Thanksgiving, as a change from regular stuffed turkey. For a good
mole (if there is demand, I'll consider posting the recipe), it is
crucial to have the correct chiles and I did some research into the
subject. Here are my impressions.

Spelling and Name
-----------------
It should be chile (in singular) and chiles (plural), not chili or chilli
or whatever.  Chile pepper is redundant (and means pepper pepper).  Also,
chile doesn't mean hot pepper, it just means pepper.  In Spanish, an
adjective follows the word chile to distinguish the variety.  So, Chile
Ancho, Chile Pasilla (pa-si-ya), etc.

What are Chiles?
----------------
Chiles are the fruit (or pod) of plants from the genus Capiscum. They are
native to the Americas, but are now used around the world.  There are many
(hundreds?) types of chiles and each region developed its own kind.  The
bell pepper is a chile and so is the paprika.  Chiles are not the same as
black pepper.  The Spaniards are responsible for the name `pepper' because
they thought it tasted similar.  The tastes of chiles range from sweet and
mild to extremely pungent (and hot).  Chiles appear in the market in all
forms: fresh, dried, canned, pickled, crushed, powdered, etc.

Heat and Taste
--------------
The heat comes from capsaicin, the taste from everything else.  The 
capsaicin in concentrated in the white veins and seeds although it
is found in all other parts as well.  Removing the veins and seeds
will make the chile less `picante'.  The same chile grown in different
places will have different taste (and heat).

Does it really make a difference which one I use?
-------------------------------------------------
Yes.

Names and How to recognize Chiles
---------------------------------
There are many types and the annoying thing is that they have different
names in different places.  Usually they have a different name in
California.  There is no substitute for actually seeing different kinds.
I can recommend a book called `The Great Chile Book' (I think) and it
has very nice pictures of different chiles.  Since I cannot include
pictures, I will try to describe them, but...

Chiles, canned or bottled (chiles chipotles en adobo)
-----------------------------------------------------
There is a difference between canned chipotles (with tomato sauce,
vinegar, and spices) and rehydrated dried chipotles.  The dried is
superior on all counts but harder to find.  I will return to the
dried one later.  There are different types of chipotles and I
recommend the San Marcos brand.  They are the closest to the real
thing.  Generally, I recommend against buying canned and pickled
chiles.  Make your own and it will taste better.


	DRIED CHILES (chiles secos)
	***************************

Chile Ancho (Pasilla in California)
-----------------------------------
Ancho (literally `wide') is the name for the dried chile poblano.
It will be 3.5-4 inches long with 2-2.5 broad shoulders.  It has
wrinkled skin and the color is almost black.  Holding it against
light will show very dark burgundy.  An average ancho weighs 1/2
ounce and it has a fleshy feel.  It is not very brittle.  A puree
of soaked anchos will be brownish red with a mild, almost sweet
taste and residual bitterness.  Other names will be chile pasilla
(in California), chile de Colorado, and chile de Guisar.  There is
a small variety of hot ancho called chino.

Chile de Arbol
--------------
Fresh one will be called chile de Arbol as well.  Colored orange-red,
it is small (3in long and .5 inch wide).  The skin is smooth and brittle.
45 chiles will weigh an ounce.  A puree will be burnt orange in color and
VERY hot.  Choose whole ones without discolorations.  Other names include
parado, palillo, cambray, and pico de pajaro.

Chile Chipotle
--------------
This is a favorite of mine.  Chipotle (from Nahuatl `smoked chile') is the
name for smoke-dried jalapeno. It's about 2.5 inch long and 1 inch wide.
It is easily recognized by the smoky smell.  You should be able to smell
it through the package. It's brittle and has a woody tan color. The skin
is wrinkled. 1/8 of an ounce on average.  The puree will be dark brown
and the heat is dangerous (it is VERY VERY hot!!!!!!!!!!!).
Other name is chile meco.

Chile Guajillo
--------------
When rarely found fresh, they go by the same name.  Burgundy colored, they 
come in many sizes. 4.5 in long and 2 in wide tapering to a point.  Smooth
and brittle (slightly translucent). 1/4 ounce on average.  Look for unbroken
ones without light-colored patches. Puree is earthy, bright red, with
medium-hot, non-sweet, uncomplicated taste.  There is a second variety
called guajillo pulla (or just pulla), which is smaller and hotter.

Chile Mulato
------------
A mulato (`dark-skinned') looks almost identical to ancho and I had a hard
time distinguishing them. Usually, in California, anchos (called pasillas)
are much easier to find then mulatos. The mulato, when held to the light,
will be darker then ancho. Fresh (green) they look like poblanos. (I think
mulato and ancho are the same chile when fresh, but that mulato is dried
when green and ancho is dried when ripe.)  A puree will be brown/black
with a medium-hot, nonsweet taste.
Sometimes the mulato will be called poblano.

Chile Pasilla (Chile negro in California)
-----------------------------------------
Pasillas are dried chile chilaca.  Long, evenly wide, 4-6 inch long and
1-1.5 inch wide.  Wrinkled skin (like ancho) and the color will be more
or less black (even when holding against light).  1/3 ounce on average.
They are not brittle.  Puree will be brown-black with reddish overtones.
Medium-hot to hot with great depth and complexity of flavor that goes on
and on.  This chile in essential to a good mole.  Other names are chile
negro (in California), chile pasilla negro, and chile pasilla de Mexico.

New Mexico/California Chile
---------------------------
   Green (fresh) it is the green chile of the supermarket variety. Dried
it's 6 inches long and 2 inches wide. It is similar to the guajillo. Burgundy
colored, with smooth skin (less wrinkled even then the guajillo). 1/3 ounce.
Puree will be earthy, bright red with a bland uncomplicated taste. In the
USA they are sometimes hot. In Mexico, they're usually mild.

Other dried Chiles
------------------
   Chile Piquin:  A tiny very hot chile. 1/2 inch oblong. Red.
   Chile Tepin:   1/4 inch spherical. (the smallest). Red. HOTHOTHOT.
   Chile Japones: 2 inch long, stemless, red, hot.
   Chile Casabel: (literally `jingling bells'). 1.25 inch spherical. Brittle,
		  dark brick-red. The hottest I know.
   Chile Habanero: Very hot and hard to find.

There are (obviously) many others. 



	FRESH CHILES (chiles frescos)
	*****************************

Chile Guero (banana, Hungarian)
-------------------------------
   Pale green to yellow (literally `light-skinned'). Known in the US as
banana/Hungarian wax peppers. 4-5 inches long 1.25 inched wide, evenly
narrowing to a point. 1.25 ounce on average. Medium-hot, medium-thin and
juicy.
Other names are largo, xcatic and caribe.

Chile Jalapeno
--------------
   Medium- to dark-green. 2.5 inch long and looks fat. 1/2 ounce. One
can also find the red kind. In California one finds them in any supermarket.
Hot and not very interesting. Good for generic heat. Chipotles are smoke-
dried jalapeno. One can find them canned and pickled.

Chile Poblano (chile pasilla in California)
-------------------------------------------
   The dark-green poblano (`Pueblan') average 3.5-4.5 inches long and 3-3.5
wide tapering to a point gradually. Besides color one recognizes them by the
high shoulders and sunken tops. 2.5-3 ounce on average. Medium-hot to hot
flesh is thick and juicy. Richer taste then other fresh chiles. The `correct'
chile to make chiles rellenos. 
Other names: Pasilla (in California), sometimes ancho. Also chile para rellenar
(chile for stuffing) and simply chile verde (green chile).

Chile Serrano
-------------
   Medium-green serrano (`mountain') chile is hotter and smaller then jalapeno.
The taste is simpler still. 2 inches long and 1/4 inch wide. 1/6 ounce. Good
for heat. Grassy flavor.

Long Green Chile
----------------
   Light-green, flat, 6 inches long and 2 inches wide. 1.5-2 ounces on 
average. Mild to medium-hot, bland taste. 
In the USA they are sometimes called Anaheim, California, New Mexico and
mild chile. (Basically they are many subvarieties as all chiles cross-pollinate
easily.) I rarely use them.

Bell Pepper
-----------
  I had to put it here, though everyone knows it. Comes in green, red (ripe),
orange, yellow. Generic.




	Powdered Chile (chile en polvo)
	*******************************

   Good old cayenne pepper. Try using ground Arbol (or, if you dare, ground
piquin.  It's very very hot so you'd better mix it with ground guajillo.) 
Avoid using chili/chile powder. It contains other spices as well and you'd
better make your own. (I recommend buying a coffee grinder to grind spices.
You won't regret it.)

Mail order places
*****************

First, I recommend finding your own market. I is better to choose your own
chiles because of a number of reasons. First, names are different. You may
order one kind and get another. Second, you cannot chose your own. Third,
it's perishable. Look in the yellow pages. (Those who live in California
are luckier then most, except, maybe, New Mexico.)
Here are two mail order place. I have never used them and found the addresses
in a cookbook:

Casa Moneo
210 W. 14th Street
New York, NY 10011

La Preferida, Inc.
3400 W. 35th Street
Chicago, IL 60632

Bibliography
------------
Authentic Mexican
Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico
Rick Bayless with Deann Groen Bayless
William Morrow and Company, Inc. * New York * 1987
ISBN 0-688-04394-1

--
Gil Rivlis, Theory Group, Physics Department, UC Berkeley

Ground Hot Pepper Vinegar -- From: The Prudhomme Family Cookbook
=========================

Makes 2 pints.  Select firm peppers that are as fresh and unblemished
as possible.  Green and/or red ones work equally well.  Cayennes are
probably the least hot and the most flavorful, but you can substitute
Tabasco, jalapeno, bird's eye, or other fresh peppers, or any
combination.  Eldon grinds or minces his peppers, but if you prefer you
can chop them.  (Allie, for example, coarsely chopes hers.)

Ground Hot Pepper Vinegar is used as a condiment -- for example, with
gumbos, jambalayas, and dried-bean dishes -- but it's also wonderful
cooked into sauces and other foods, used as a marinade, and added to
salad dressing [definitely -- CMT].  Experiment with it!

1 1/4 lbs cayenne or other hop peppers, washed thoroughly, trimmed of stems,
   but not seeded
2 1/2 cups white distilled vinegar [Note:  For safety reasons, be sure to
   use undiluted vinegar, be sure to use WHITE distilled vinegar, and do
   not decrease the amount of vinegar.]
1 Tablespoon salt [Personally, I reduce this in half, as folks from Louisiana
   tend to eat their food saltier than I do these days. -- CMT]

Assemble all utensils before starting.  You will need a water-bath canner with
a rack and lid or a very deep pot with rack and lid.  It must be deep enough
to cover the upright jars (sitting on the rack) with 1 to 2 inches of water
and still allow space for brisk boiling once the pan is covered.  And you'll
need 2 freshly scrubbed pint-size canning jars, metal rings, brand-new self-
sealinglids, and a few clean dish towels.  Fill the canner or pot with water
and bring to a near boil (this takes quite a bit of time!) before beginning to
fill the jars.  Have extra boiling water ready in case yo need to add more
water to the canner once the jars are in it.  

Submerge the clean jars (you will need two pint jars for the amount made in a
single recipe given here) in water and sterilize by boiling as directed by the
manufacturer, but for a minimum of 15 to 20 minutes.  Leave jars in the hot
water until ready to fill.  Wash and boil lids and rings according to
manufacturer's directions.

Trim any bruises, decay, or other imperfections from the peppers.  Process the
peppers in a food processor a few seconds until minced.  Set aside.

Bring the vinegar to a boil in a 1-quart saucepan over high heat.  [NOTE:  I
DO NOT recommend bringing the vinegar to a boil.  Most of my canning books
warn against such a practice since this reduces the anti-bacterial
effectiveness of the vinegar.  Instead, bring the vinegar to JUST BELOW a
boil.  -- CMT]  Meanwhile, spoon half the minced peppers into each of the very
hot jars up to no higher than 1 1/2 inches from the rims, without packing
peppers down tightly.  Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to each jar [I use a scant 1
teaspoon myself -- CMT], then pour the boiling vinegar over the peppers,
leaving headspace of 1/2 inch from the rim; if not, add more.  Then promptly
wipe rims well with a clean, damp cloth and place hot lids on top with sealing
compound (i.e. rubber edges) down; screw on metal rings firmly but not too
tightly.
Immediately place filled jars upright on a rack in the water=bath canner, or
deep pot, filled with hot but not boiling water.  Arrange jars so they don't
touch each other or sides of pot.  If necessary, add boiling water around but
not on jars to cover jar tops by 1 to 2 inches.  cover pan and bring water to
a rolling boil over high heat.  Then boil 10 minutes for pints (correct this
for high-altitudes if you live at 1,000-ft or higher altitude).  Immediately
remove jars with canning tongs and place upright and at least 2 inches apart
on a wooden surface or on folded dish towels to cool at room temperature, away
from drafts.  Do not cover.

Once jars are completely cooled, test for an airtight seal by pressing down
center of each lid.  Lid should stay down.  Label and date jars, then store
upright in a cool, dark, and dry room or pantry.  

Store at least 48 hours, preferably 2 weeks, before using.  Refrigerate after
opening.


Jackie's Trinidad Hot Sauce -- From: Sugar Reef Caribbean Cooking
===========================

Makes 2 pints.

1 green papaya, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped
10 Scotch bonnet (or habanero) peppers, seeded
2 onions, quartered
3 cloves garlic
Grated rind of 1 lime
1/2 cup lime juice
1 1/2 cups malt vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup prepared yellow mustard [any cheap yellow mustard is best]

Puree the papaya, Scotch bonnet peppers, onions, garlic, lime rind, and lime
juice in a food processor.  Transfer to a medium saucepan and stir in the
vinegar, salt, and mustard.  Simmer the mixture over low heat for 20 minutes,
stirring occasionally.  Bottle the sauce in hot sterilized jars.  [Note:  I
pressure can this in 1-pint containers at 15 lbs pressure for 15 minutes. 
Since the vinegar is simmered for so long, you can't safely assume that just
bottling and processing in a water bath will be sufficient. -- CMT]


Pickled Hot Peppers (or Bell Peppers) -- From:  Putting Food By, originally
=====================================    from U. of Calif. publication #4080

Makes 8 pints.

4 quarts peppers
4 cups vinegar  [Use either distilled white vinegar, or if desired 
   malt vinegar]
4 cups water
4 teaspoons salt
Olive oil (optional) [I omit this, personally.  -- CMT]

Wash peppers thoroughly.  [Here, my own instructions start as I follow a
different procedure than that outlined in the recipe. -- CMT]  I use whole
peppers if they are small (Thai hot peppers, sanatakas, jalapenos, though
jalapenos can also be cut into "coins").  If peppers are large (Portuguese,
Anaheims, New Mexico, Anchos, etc.), leave whole if you like but take a knife
and make long slits (approximately 3 per pepper) down the length of the pepper
to allow the vinegar to seep into the fruits.  For round cherry peppers, I
stem the peppers and cut them in half lengthwise.  [Begin original recipe
again. -- CMT] 

Mix vinegar and water; heat to 150-160 deg F (66-71 deg C) about to the
simmering point.  Since it is rather volatile, vinegar should NOT boil a long
time.  Pack peppers rather tightlyinto jars.  Pour hot vinegar and water over
the peppers to 1/2 inch of jar rim.  If oil is desired, add vinegar to only
3/4 inch of jar top.  Add olive oil to come 1/2 inch from top.  The peppers
will be coated with oil when they pass through the oil layer as you use them. 
Add salt to taste, seal, and process 15 minutes in simmering (180-185 deg F or
82-85 deg C) Hot-Water Bath.

Variation/Addition:  I sometimes like to add a whole unpeeled clove of garlic
first into the jars along with a few each of white and black whole
peppercorns.  This is especially nice if you plan on giving the canned peppers
as gifts.  

Note:  You must pack the whole peppers pretty tightly (especially those little
peppers) to keep them from floating to the top of the jar once the vinegar
mixture is added.


Louisiana Tabasco Sauce -- From:  Chile Pepper magazine, May/June 1990
=======================

Makes 2 cups.  You can use chiles other than Tabasco for a different-tasting
sauce.

Note:  The recipe for true Tabasco brand hot sauce is a long-guarded secret. 
In addition, the Tabasco folks make a hot pepper "mash" and let this ferment
long before the peppers are used in their secret recipe.  This process is what
gives Tabasco brand pepper sauce its unique flavor.  This recipe does not
attempt to replicate that sauce.  Instead, this is a standard Louisiana hot
sauce recipe.  If desired, you can add some garlic powder and/or onion powder
to flavor the sauce somewhat.  Ground white pepper added is also a nice touch. 

1 lb Tabasco chiles, chopped  [or other hot pepper variety]
2 cups distilled white vinegar
2 teaspoons salt

Combine the chiles and the vinegar and heat.  Stir in the salt and simmer for
5 minutes.  Place all the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. 
Add more vinegar if the sauce needs thinning.  Allow to steep for a couple of
weeks before using.

[Note:  Store in a dark place, or in light-resistent bottles as the sauce will
discolor otherwise.  Dark beer bottles work well, in fact.  My husband home-
brews beer and even has a bottle capper, so we sterilize the dark beer bottles
and cap them with caps he buys through his homebrew supplier.  The bottles can
be processed in a boiling-water bath for extra safety and for longer storage.]


Homemade Hot Chile Paste (or simple Sambal Oelek) -- My own recipe (Carol
=================================================    Miller-Tutzauer)

Ripe red chiles, stems removed but do not deseed (ripe, red jalapenos work
   well; for a super hot paste, use a hotter variety pepper, like sanatakas,
   tabascos, or thai peppers)
Fresly squeezed lime juice
Salt (non-iodized)
Water
1/2-pt jelly/canning jars and canning lids & rings

Puree chiles in a food processor.  Pour "pepper mash" into a saucepan along
with enough water to form a medium-thin consistency.  Simmer the chile mixture
for about 5 minutes, or until the chile paste thickens somewhat and chiles are
slightly cooked.  

Spoon chile mixture into the small jelly/canning jars, leaving 3/4 inch
headspace.  Add 1/4 tsp salt and 1 Tbsp lime juice to each jar.  Cap and
process in a pressure canner for 10 minutes at 15 lbs pressure.

Note:  You can also make a "green chile paste" by using green chiles, though
the color will not be as strikingly green as the fresh peppers.  Process in
the same manner as for the hot chile peppers.  WARNING:  Do not can this stuff
in anything but those very small jelly-jar-size canning jars.  The paste is
too thick for proper processing in larger containers.  Refrigerate any unused
portion after opening.  (And, of course, store unopened canned jars in a dry,
cool, dark place.)


Homemade Hot Pepper Powder -- My own recipe (Carol Miller-Tutzauer)
==========================

Take long hot red chile peppers (I use cayennes or Portuguese hots) and place
them in the oven on a pizza stone (or clay tiles) at 150 deg F. and leave
overnight.  The next morning, check to see that they are dried and only
slightly pliable.  If not completely dried, leave in the oven until they are.

Remove the stems from the dried hot red peppers and process in a spice
grinder.  (We have a Braun coffee grinder that we use as a spice grinder
instead of for coffee.  Never use the same grinder for coffee and spices as
spices ground in a grinder used for coffee will taste too much like coffee.)
When ground to a fine powder, pour into a jar and store away with the rest of
your spices.

Note:  Drying the peppers in the oven gives them a slightly more "roasted
flavor."  You can also sun dry your hot peppers (in "ristras", if desired),
but my experience is that, unless you are drying small hot peppers, this is
only possible in southern states with low humidity.  A food dehydrater may
work, but I've never tried that.  Some people have also suggested laying out
the food to be dried inside your car, parked in the hot sun, with the windows
all rolled up.  I've never tried that either.  I just put them in the oven
overnight at the lowest temperature my oven will maintain safely (i.e.,
without blowing out -- I have a gas oven).  


Hot Chile Olive Oil -- My own recipe (Carol Miller-Tutzauer)
===================

Dry small hot red peppers (thai, sanataka, bird peppers) in a cool dry place
in your house or covered by a screen outdoors (so the birds don't run off with
them ;-).  Stuff a thin-necked clear bottle about 1/2 full with the dried
chile peppers.  Drop in about 8-10 whole black peppercorns as well.  Fill the
bottles to within 1/2 inch of the top with a very high quality extra-virgin
olive oil.  Store away in a dark place for a minimum of 2 months.

Use as you would olive oil -- for salad dressings or sauteeing -- but get some
added "zip" to your food.  If sauteeing, let a chile or two fall into the pan
and heat along with the oil before sauteeing.  

===

Here's some recipes that I've also collected, some of them more recently, but
haven't tried yet:


Ann's Bermudian Spiced Sherry Pepper -- From: Ann Swan of Westchester, PA, as
====================================    reported in National Gardening
                                        magazine, Nov/Dec 1991

Note:  To make Spiced Rum Pepper, just substitute a good, dark, Caribbean rum
for the sherry.

Tall, slender-necked sauce bottles, preferably clear (for visual appeal)
Red, ripe, small, thin-skinned hot peppers such as Bird, Tabasco, Thai,
   Sanataka, or Ethel Jane varieties
Dry sherry (or dark rum)

Stuff the tall, slender bottles one-third full of the red-ripe pepper fruits. 
Then fill the bottles the rest of the way with sherry (or rum).  Cap them and
leave them sit in the dark for at least a month before use.


Bottled Hell -- From:  Chile Pepper magazine, May/June 1991
============

2 cups fresh or dried Datil peppers, stems removed, chopped
3 cups white vinegar
2 large (32-oz size) bottles catsup

Put the peppers and 1/2 cup of vinegar into blender or food processor.  Blend
for 5 minutes or until smooth.  Put the mixture into a large saucepan; add the
remaining 2 and 1/2 cups of vinegar and both bottles of catsup.  Bring to a
boil and simmer for 10 minutes.  cool slightly and pour into clean glass
bottles or jars.  Cap securely.  Let "age" in refrigerator for 1 week.


Chiltepin House Sauce (Salsa Casera) -- From:  Chile Pepper magazine, May/June
====================================    1991

Note:  Also called Chiltepin paste.  Chiltepins are those exceedingly hot and
tiny little peppers that look like small red berries.  Makes 2 cups.

2 cups Chiltepins
8 to 10 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon coriander seed
1 cup water
1 cup cider vinegar

Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree on high speed for 3 to 4
minutes.  Refrigerate for one day to blend the flavors.  It keeps indefinitely
in the refrigerator.


New Mexico Red Chile Sauce -- From: Chile Pepper magazine, Sept/Oct 1991
==========================

Makes 2 1/2 to 3 cups.  Be sure to double or triple the recipe if you are
planning on canning the sauce.

10 to 12 dried red New Mexican [or dried Anaheim] chiles, stems and seeds
   removed
3 cups water
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopeed
2 cloves garlic, chopped

Rince off the chiles and place them in a pot with the water.  Bring to a boil,
reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes to soften. 

Saute the onion and garlic in the oil until soft.

Place all the ingredients, including the chile water, in a blender and puree
until smooth.  Strain the mixture for a smooth sauce [personally, I don't
bother -- CMT].

[To can:  Fill sterilized 1-pint jars, cap, and process in a pressure canner
at 15 lbs pressure for 15 minutes.  -- CMT]


New Mexico Green Chile Sauce -- From:  Chile Pepper magazine, Sept/Oct 1991
============================

Makes 1 to 1 1/2 cups.  Be sure to double or triple recipe if planning on
canning the sauce.
1 cup chopped green New Mexico [or Anaheim] chile, roasted, peeled, stems
   removed
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil (lard is traditional)
1 Tablespoon flour
1 small tomato, peeled and chopped [or substitute green tomatillos, if
   desired]
1 cup chicken broth or water
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin [Note:  If canning this sauce, you should add a
   pinch of fresh cumin at the time you use the sauce, since the cumin tends
   to lose it's "punch" when canned.]

Saute the onion and garlic in the oil until soft.

Stir in the flour and blend well.  Simmer for a douple of minutes to cook the
flour. 

Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer
until the sauce has thickened.

[To can:  Fill sterilized 1-pint jars, cap, and process in a pressure canner
at 15 lbs pressure for 15 minutes.  -- CMT]


Chile Pickle (Molagai Ooruga) -- From:  Chile Pepper magazine, March/April
=============================    1991

This pickle is often eaten with unleavened bread; it serves as a relish.  It
also makes a delightful companion to white rice mixed with a generous amount
of yogurt.  The yogurt, rice, and green chile pickle often make a perfect
summer picnic dish.  In Madras, we use long green chiles.  This preserve goes
well with nachos too.  You can add it to any salad.  Serrano chiles are good
substitutes.

12 green New Mexican chiles [personally, I think hotter, thinner, green
   peppers would work better and be more authentic -- CMT]
3 lemons, cut into halves [limes would be a good substitute -- CMT]
2 Tablespoons ginger, finely chopped
4 Tablespoons salt
1/2 cup water

Combine all the ingredients in a clean, dry glass jar, seal tightly and store
in a cool dark area for three to four days, shaking it once a day.

Transfer the ingredients to the refrigerator.  Take out the preserve 10
minutes before you want to use it.

CRANBERRIES

The term "As American as apple pie" should probably be changed to
"As American as cranberries" because cranberries are one of the
three fruits native to North America (along with blueberries and
Concord grapes.) As the Ocean Spray cranberry people say, "They
didn't come over on the Mayflower, they were already here."

HISTORY

Berries of various kinds have grown wild in temperate climates for
centuries.  North American Indians mixed crushed cranberries with
dried deer meat and fat to make pemmican, a preserved food that
would keep for months.  Pilgrims thought the blossoms of cranberries
looked liked the heads of cranes and dubbed them "crane berries,"
which eventually became "cranberries."  Commercial cultivation of
cranberries began in the early 19th century when Henry Hall of
Dennis, Mass., noticed how windswept sand on his cranberry plants
seemed to spur growth.

HOW THEY'RE GROWN

Contrary to popular belief, cranberries are not grown in water.
They grow, instead, on vines in beds, called bogs or marshes,
layered with sand, peat, gravel and clay.  Though cranberries
require a special set of growing conditions - acid soil, plenty
of fresh water and a long growing season - vines are hearty and
have been known to last as long as 150 years.

Most of the world's cranberries are grown on 30,000 acres of
wetlands and coastal uplands in five states and another 4,000
acres in Canada, mainly British Columbia.  The leading cranberry-
producing states, in descending order of size are Massachusetts,
Wisconsin, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington.  Maine also has a
small but growing number of cranberry producers.  There are over
100 different cranberry varieties but there are four major
commercial varieties - Early Black, Howes, McFarlin and Searles.
Ben Lear and Stevens are two other varieties grown primarily in
Wisconsin.

THEIR SEASON

Cranberries begin to hit the market in late September and continue
into December.

SELECTION, HANDLING AND STORAGE

Cranberries, usually found in sealed plastic bags, should be checked
for uniform size, good deep red color and as little debris or withered
fruit as possible.  Don't wash cranberries (or any berries, for that
matter) until you're ready to eat them or use them in a recipe.
They'll turn moldy and mushy if washed and stored.  The standard
12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries yields about 3 cups whole berries,
2 1/2 cups chopped.

NUTRITION

A cup of raw cranberries weighs about 100 grams (3.5 ounces) and
contains 46 calories.  However, that figure triples when sugar is
added to make them palatable.  That raw serving amount also contains
about 11 grams of carbohydrates, just under a gram of fat, about .5
grams of protein, about 1.5 grams of dietary fiber and 18 % of the
RDA for vitamin C.  In addition to their antibiotic properties,
particularly as they pertain to urinary and bladder infections,
cranberries also act as an antiviral agent.

PREPARATION TIPS

The cranberry is perhaps the most accommodating fruit when it
comes to seasonings.  It almost craves to be tossed one way or
the other with whatever spices, liqueurs or sweeteners suit your
fancy.  Though the traditional sweetener is sugar, there's no
reason why you can't use honey or brown sugar.  By using preserves
such as marmalade, you add flavoring and sweetening at the same
time.  Citrus in general, but orange and lemon in particular go
well with cranberries.  So do nuts such as pecans, walnuts, and
almonds.  Ginger in all its forms - but especially candied or
crystallized - is superb with cranberries.  As for liquids,
try bourbon, rum, orange juice and orange liqueurs.  For a
special kick, try some hot peppers in your cranberry sauce,
especially if it is going to be used with a Southwestern dish.

CRANBERRY-PEAR COBBLER

In addition to its affinity for so many flavorings, the cranberry
blends well with most fall fruits.

2 pounds firm but ripe pears, peeled, cored,
	 and cut into 3/8-inch slices 
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries 
1 tablespoon raspberry vinegar 
1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup granulated sugar 
1/3 cup brown sugar 
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger 
2 tablespoons cornstarch 
Butter-flavor cooking spray 
1 cup all-purpose flour 
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 
3 tablespoons chilled butter cut into small pieces 
7 to 8 tablespoons low-fat buttermilk 
Low-fat vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt (optional)

1) Combine pears, cranberries, vinegar, 1/3 cup of the granulated
sugar, the brown sugar, ginger and cornstarch in a bowl.  Spray a
2-quart baking dish with butter-flavor spray and spread the fruit
evenly inside.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2) Put flour, baking powder, salt and remaining granulated sugar
in a mixing bowl.  Cut in the butter with a large fork or pastry
blender until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  Add the
buttermilk and mix just until the dough comes together in a ball.

3) Put the dough between two pieces of lightly floured waxed paper
and roll out to a size just large enough to cover the baking dish.
Peel off the waxed paper and top fruit with dough.  Seal the edges
with a scalloped shape if desired.  Cut 4 or 5 vents into the dough.

4) Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and juices
bubble up freely.  Serve warm with, if desired, low-fat vanilla ice
cream or frozen yogurt.

Serves 6.

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CRANBERRY SAUCE WITH AMARETTO LIQUEUR

2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup amaretto liqueur
12-ounce package fresh or frozen cranberries
Juice of 1 orange, about   cup
1 tablespoon orange zest, cut julienne
3 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds

1) Bring sugar, water, and amaretto to a boil in a heavy-bottomed
saucepan.  Add cranberries, stir, and return to a boil.  Reduce
heat and boil gently, stirring occasionally, for about 8 to 10
minutes or until cranberries pop.

2) Remove from heat, add orange juice and zest, and cool.  Just
before serving, fold in almonds.

Makes 4 servings.

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DATE AND CRANBERRY RELISH

The sweetness of the dates contrasts nicely with the tart
cranberries giving this dish a North African holiday twist.

1/2 pound fresh cranberries
12 medium dates, coarsely chopped
1/2 lemon, seeded and diced
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Pinch cayenne pepper

1) Put cranberries, dates and lemon in a food processor and
process until well combined but not totally smooth.

2) Combine sugar, vinegar and cayenne.  Add to mixture and pulse
a few times.  Chill an hour before serving.  Serves 4.

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QUINCE PANDOWDY WITH APPLES AND CRANBERRIES

Pandowdies are an old New England variation on deep-dish pies
and cobblers, originally served for breakfast - which we think
is still a good idea.  The word pandowdy comes from "dowdying,"
meaning breaking the crust up into pieces before serving.

4 cups peeled and sliced quince
3 cups peeled and sliced tart apples
1  1/2 cups cranberries
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup spicy orange marmalade
1 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
Butter-flavor spray
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup plus tablespoon granulated sugar
3 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
About 1/2 cup chilled low-fat buttermilk plus a few tablespoons
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Low-fat vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt (optional)

1) Put quince, apples and cranberries in a large mixing bowl.  Mix
orange juice in a small bowl.  Add to fruit and mix well.

2) Combine brown sugar and tapioca in a small bowl.  Pour over fruit
and mix well.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees

3) Spray a 2-quart gratin or baking dish with butter-flavor spray.
Pour fruit mixture into the pan and spread out evenly.

4) Put flour, baking powder, salt and 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a
mixing bowl.  Cut in the butter with a large fork or pastry blender
until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  Add the buttermilk and mix
just until the dough comes together in a ball.  Chill in freezer 10
minutes.

5) Cover a cutting board with plastic wrap, pulled tightly and tucked
under the board.  Dust with flour, put the dough in the middle, dust
with a little more flour and flatten slightly.  Cover with another
sheet of plastic wrap tightly drawn and tucked under the cutting
board.  Roll out dough just large enough to fit inside the baking
dish.  Peel off plastic wrap and top fruit with dough.  Cut 4 or 5
vents into the dough.  Brush the crust with the remaining buttermilk.
Combine the remaining sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on top of the
crust.

6) Bake 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and juices bubble
up freely.  Remove and cut through the crust with a large serving fork
or spatula creating 2-inch pieces (they should be irregular for that
homey touch).  Then push the pieces of crust into the fruit with the
back of the spatula.  Bake another 10 minutes.  Serve warm with, if
desired, low-fat vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt.

Serves 6.

Although I have limited experience with roses -- just two years -- I have had excellent results with both miniatures and full size ones. I successfully brought 27 out of 30 through the winter here, so I am pretty happy. My miniatures are doing well right now. They are very hardy (although I do grow them indoors during the winter for color and scent). Nothing like a pretty little rose to brighten your day.

Now ... roses are a bit fussy about being repotted and moved. If you do it while they are in bloom, they may drop their buds/flowers. Best time is when they are just beginning to leaf out, but one can't always avoid that, especially when you miss the window. If the buds have fallen off, cut back to just above a 5 or 7 leaf node (just follow down the stem from the bud). If the first one you find is right below the bud, go down to the next one. You want to make sure that there is enough stem to support the new branch that will sprout from the leaf node.

Cut at an angle away from the dormant bud (you may be able to see it if you look carefully, it's right at the crotch of the leaf and the stem and looks like a little bump or speck of brown depending on the type of rose). Then give it a helping of fertilizer (high in P and K). Don't worry about the N, that promotes foliage, not roots and flowers. I use 5-10-10 or 5-20-20. A liquid like Rapid-Grow is good too. Water the soil, not the foliage (roses tend to get mildew and leaf spot). Feed every 1 to 2 weeks... and stand back. They should bloom profusely.