New Mexico chile season

In New Mexico, where I've been living for the past six months, chiles are an obsession, as beloved and identity-defining for natives as Vegemite is for Australians. Green or red chile sauce smothers everything from burritos to eggs to french fries (I even tried green chile ice cream once. Once was enough); ristras - wreaths made from dried red chiles - hang on every front porch; even the local shoemaker sells bags of dried chile on the shelf next to his boot polish and wax. Homesick New Mexicans will have tubs of chile shipped across the country or the world; more than one native has told me they would "die" without chile.

Right now we're in the heart of chile season, and all across the state vendors hawk local varieties like Big Jim, Sandia and Barker's Extra Hot from the backs of pickup trucks on street corners and in gas station parking lots. You can buy a burlap bag full and have them roasted on location in a huge metal roasting basket that spins like a cage full of lottery balls (see photo). The smokey, ancient smell of chiles hangs in the air for months, as locals stock up and freeze all the chiles they'll need for the coming year.

If you can't make it down to New Mexico for your own stock, there are several companies that ship fresh, frozen or roasted chiles across the country. Try New Mexico Chili, New Mexican Connection or Hatch Chile Express.