Every Autumn Barbara flies to Albuquerque and then drives the almost three hours to open farm stands where she retrieves the year’s crop. And, lest you think this is solely for our good, Barbara is not above hanging around for the Hatch Chili Festival where she consumes her fair share of these beauties right at their birthplace.

Arriving in Ridgefield, duffle bag after duffle bag of chilies are hand roasted, peeled and lovingly readied for addition to dishes prepared by The Southwest Café.

Their flavor is rich and smoky, but the heat of these babies is rather unpredictable. Hatch Chilies range from mostly mild to eye-tearingly hot. That’s why a favorite dish of Southwest Café regulars is called CHILI ROULETTES where a soft flour tortilla and a bit of cheese is all that stands between the taster and the chili.

Other dishes this year will include Carne Asada with Hatch Chile Rajas which is grilled skirt steak topped with caramelized onions and roasted chilies. Or try the Hatch Chile Con Queso – a blend of three cheeses, baked with chilies providing rich dipping for our home cooked taco chips. And then there’s always the traditional mouthwatering Hatch Chile Stew.

So, don’t wait too long. Get on down to THE SOUTHWEST CAFÉ while the chilies are fresh and plentiful.

Southwest Cafe
in Ridgefield, CT