NMCC News:

SANTA FE — As the air turns crisp and the aspens turn gold, New Mexico comes alive with a familiar scent that signals fall is here. The aroma of New Mexico Certified Chile™ is swirling across New Mexico, as locals get ready for chile roasting season.

The fire-marked steel chile roasters spin slowly outside farmers’ markets and grocery stores, casting a comforting heat into the cool morning air. The flames crackle, chile skins pop and the smell wraps around you like a comforting memory. For locals, this moment is more than a smell. It’s home. It’s New Mexico Certified Chile™. 

“Every year, New Mexico residents look, listen and smell for the start of roasting season,” Kari Dominguez says, Executive Director of the New Mexico Chile Association. “It’s a tradition that brings our whole community together. The aroma means fall is here and it’s time to stock up for the year.”

Whether you’re buying a sack to freeze for green chile caldito or sharing freshly roasted New Mexico Certified Chile for Christmas tamales, chile is the ingredient that turns a meal into a memory. New Mexico Certified Chile is the missing piece to every meal. 

New Mexico Certified Chile guarantees you are supporting growers in the land of enchantment.

Consider these facts from the New Mexico Department of Agriculture:

• New Mexico produces roughly 77% of chile peppers in the United States and is ranked No. 1 in chile production nationally. (National Agriculture Statistics Service)
• The value of New Mexico chile production is estimated at $41.5 million.
• The total chile pepper production in New Mexico in 2023 was 46,750 tons. (USDA-NASS)
• In 2023, 88% of chile grown was green chile (41,120 tons) in comparison to 12% red chile (5,630 tons). (2023 New Mexico Chile Production)

In New Mexico, fall isn’t just a season. It’s a celebration, and New Mexico Certified Chile is always at the center of the table. Each year, since 1991, the Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta is celebrated in September, showcasing the unique flavors of New Mexico. Still roasting and crushing 34 years later, the original Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta has exploded into a five-day extravaganza, with over 3,500 guests in Santa Fe for the one-of-a-kind event. 

“Buying New Mexico Certified Chile isn’t just about flavor—it’s about supporting our farmers and preserving a piece of our heritage,” Dominguez said. “When you choose certified chile, you’re getting the real deal; grown in New Mexico’s unique soil, under our sun, with a taste you can’t find anywhere else.”

To learn about New Mexico Certified Chile, visit newmexicochile.org.