Chile, Spice, and Everything Nice

October 29, 2015 — chile, Santa Cruz Chile and Spice, Tumacacori

No visit to Santa Cruz County, Arizona would be complete without a stop at the Santa Cruz Chile and Spice Company.  In the old days the products were more limited to the local chile powder and paste.  Now that hot sauce and chile in general is a huge trend the store stocks hot sauce and spices from around the world.  The selection includes jellies, sauces and a large number of dried spices.  I had always used the old fashioned red chile paste from this company to make my enchiladas.  Now they make several kinds of chile paste.  I picked up a jar of green chile and garlic paste for our holiday enchiladas this season.  The sample was delicious and who doesn’t need to shake things up with tried and true recipes like sour cream enchiladas?  The chile makes all the difference.

Outside the store there are displays of many of the old pieces of equipment used in the past to process chiles.  Even those who don’t care for spicy food will enjoy a visit to this tasty and tasteful historic business.

chile ristras

chile ristras