New Mexico's chile crop is in serious danger. Drought, labor shortages, and competition from foreign countries with cheap labor and inferior chiles are all threatening to put our farmer's out of business. Read about it here. Imagine New Orleans without its signature Cajun or Creole dishes, Florida without its oranges, Philly without its cheese steaks, and that will give you an idea of what would happen to this state were we to lose our chile culture. It's everything to us, on all levels—economic, social, and psychological.
So if you're a chile afficionado, accept no substitutes. Call up my buddies at Bueno Foods and have them ship you the real thing. Ask your grocers to stock only certified New Mexico chile. And if you happen to find yourself out this way, take some time to drop by one of the esteemed restaurants on the official Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail 2011.
Click here to access the map above for the location nearest you.
