[1] Hatch chiles have a short growing season: just August and September (all photos except #2 © Melissa’s Produce).

[2] Dried hatch chiles (photo © Otis Acres Micro Farm.

[3] Once dried, you can enjoy Hatch chiles year-round. This Hatch-At-Home box from Melissa’s has everything from seasonings and salsa to polenta and popcorn.

[4] For an even more special gift, send the new Hatch cookbook along with the Hatch-At-Home box.

Hatch chiles from New Mexico are one of the most prized chiles of the southwestern U.S. There are both mild and hot varieties of these meaty fleshed chiles. The chiles are named after their original growing area of Hatch, New Mexico in the Mesilla Valley, just north of Las Cruces. The valley, which stretches along the Rio Grande’s southernmost bend before crossing into Texas and Mexico, is covered with row after row of green, leafy Hatch chile plants for most of the summer.

Chefs say that the intense sunlight, hot days and cool nights in the valley result in a uniquely flavored chile.

The harvest season is August through early September, but depending on weather conditions, the harvest can begin as early as July and finish in early October.

Every September, after the harvest, there are Hatch chile festivals. In towns throughout New Mexico, the aroma of roasted chiles fills the air, along with the sounds of the Hatch chiles popping and crackling as they roast in propane-powered roasters.

Here’s how to roast Hatch chiles over an open flame on a grill or a gas stove, or under the broiler.

The difference between red and green versions is that green chiles (photo #1) are left on the vine longer until they turn red (photo #2).

Green chiles have a brighter, zestier flavor while red chiles have a deeper, richer flavor. (It’s the same with bell peppers, which are members are the same family (Solanaceae) and genus (Capsicum).

Heat lovers note: Unlike fresh chile peppers, dried chiles do not lose heat, taste, flavor or aroma when cooked.

> Check out the different types of chiles.
 
 
HAVE A HATCH CHILE FESTIVAL AT HOME

You don’t have to head to New Mexico for a Hatch chile festival. Have one at home, with this bounty of Hatch products from Melissa’s (photo #3).

The Hatch-at-Home box heats things with everything you need for a Hatch food adventure.

 
Get a box for yourself, send one for a gift. Order the Hatch-At-Home box here.

Discover more wonderful fruits and vegetables at Melissas.com.
 
 
HATCH PEPPER COOKBOOK

Discover delicious ways to use Hatch chiles in chile, chicken recipes, dips, sandwiches, sauces, soups, stews, Southwestern and Tex-Mex cuisine (photo #4).

Try delicious and fun recipes like Sweet, Smoky & Spicy Party Nuts, Sweet Potato Bread with Hatch Pepper Compound Butter, Lobster Mac & Cheese with Hatch Peppers, Grilled Surf & Turf with Kale Sprout Slaw, and Hatch Pepper Pecan & Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (how can you resist the latter?).

You can purchase the hardbound cookbook, or download a PDF.
 
 
WINE PAIRINGS

Melissa’s recommends a Viognier(vee-own-YAY) with Hatch recipes. The white wine grape, best-known in France, is planted in California, Oregon, Texas, Virginia and Washington (see the *footnote for details).

Viognier’s floral aromatics and notes of juicy stone fruits pair perfectly with the kick of Hatch spice.

You can also uncork a Chardonnay, Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc.

And that’s your own Hatch chile festival!

The original name, chile, comes from the Aztec language of the New World (chilli). When Columbus’ crew first tasted chiles, in the Caribbean, the heat and pungency reminded them of black pepper. They referred to the chiles as peppers or chile peppers.

But black pepper is a completely unrelated genus; the fruits (yes, chiles are fruits) should be called chiles (the Spanish transcription) or chilies.

But after 500 years, it’s tough to change the record.

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*On the nose, Viognier wines can also be very herbal, with aromas of chamomile, lavender, thyme and even a hint of pine. In aged examples and sweeter styles, this potentially overpowering herbal profile is softened by honeyed notes. The variety is not well known because it is difficult to cultivate; it is extremely prone to powdery mildew and is known for both low and unpredictable yields. Viognier is cultivated in Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland the U.S. [source]. The origin of the Viognier grape is unknown, possibly originating in Dalmatia (present-day Croatia) and then brought to France’s Rhône Valley by the Romans [source].

This summer we were introduced to K-Dogs, at a store in Manhattan’s Chinatown. Known as Korean hot dogs or corn dogs*, they are typically made of hot dogs (also called sausages†) or mozzarella cheese (or a combination of both), placed on sticks, dipped in yeasted batter and coated with panko breadcrumbs.

Then, they’re then deep-fried until they’re crisp and golden brown, dusted with sugar, and drizzled with ketchup, mustard, mayo, or all three.

The result: sweet, salty, and completely delicious. They’ve become a craze in Korea, quickly becoming one of the most popular street foods.

And shops are opening across the U.S., too; from San Diego across to New York.

There’s a recipe to make your own Korean Hot Dogs below.
 
 
HAVE IT YOUR WAY

 
 
KOREAN DOGS IN THE U.S.

With shops popping up nationwide, we’re fortunate to have one in our own town. Oh! K-Dog is a small chain with locations in Arkansas, Georgia, New York City, and Texas (and coming soon to Connecticut, Illinois, and New Jersey).

There are lots of options, from the variations described above to a greater range of toppings and seasonings. Top your dog with:

 
Then, season your topping with:

 
The company says that its most popular sauce combination is mix of ketchup, sweet chili, cheese mustard, and a sprinkle of honey butter.

The runner-up in popularity is spicy gochu sauce and garlic sauce with an onion sprinkle.

And, quite a few customers like it with the sugar coating, which is the traditional Korean way.
Ready to make your own?
 

RECIPE: KOREAN HOT DOGS (CORN DOGS)

We found two great recipes online, both with tips to create the perfect Korean hot dog.

Start with this recipe from Foxy Folksy.

You can use any type of hot dog or sausage: beef, chicken, pork, veggie.

[1] Korean hot dogs: classic, with ketchup and mustard, or covered with french-fried potato bits (photos #1, #3 and #4 © OH! K-Dog | NYC).

[2] Homemade Korean hot dogs, a.k.a. corn dogs. Here’s the recipe from Foxy Folksy (photo © Foxy Folksy).

[3] Mozzarella can be combined with a hot dog (shown before and after battering and frying).

[4] Party time!

So feel free to add heat:

 
Here are more corn dog tips from I Am A Food Blog.

July is National Hot Dog Month, and July 21st is National Hot Dog Day.

You’ve got plenty of time to plan for a K-dog party next year (photo #4).
 
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*They’re called corn dogs in Korea, only because they’re battered and fried on a stick like American corn dogs. However, American corn dogs are battered in a cornmeal batter—hence the name. Korean corn dogs are battered in a yeasted dough or a rice flour batter.

†Hot dogs are a type of sausage. You can use a classic American frank or a thicker sausage.
 
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

[1] A sundae in a pint, a party in a jar (all photos © Talenti).

[2] Talenti Layers Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake.

[3] The fan favorite: Salted Caramel Truffle.

[4] Close up on the layers, here Black Raspberry Parfait.

[5] Mint Fudge Cookie.

[6] Cookies & Cream.

[7] With 17 flavors, where to start?

To ice cream superfans, the ideal portion is a pint served with a spoon—no bowl required. That’s how we like to eat all ice cream, but especially Talenti Layers, the five-layer combination of ice cream, cookies, sauces and crumbles that we think of as a sundae in a jar.

Yes, you can scoop it into bowls and share the pint. But as a superfan (and a bit of an ice cream hog), we prefer the first option.

It’s our Top Pick Of The Week.

Insider tip: Sometimes we top the open pint with whipped cream and homemade brandied cherries.
 
 
ABOUT TALENTI LAYERS GELATO

The American gelato and sorbetto line, Talenti, was named after Bernardo Buontalenti, a Florentine designer and polymath who is credited with inventing gelato (i.e. ice cream) in the 1500s (here’s the history of ice cream and sorbet).

Talenti first opened as a store-front gelateria in Dallas, Texas in 2003. The quality of the products led to expansion, first under the original owner and then by Unilever, which now owns the brand.

> The difference between gelato and ice cream.

And far beyond Dallas, Talenti is now available nationwide, in 30 luxurious flavors. There are pints, quarts and half-gallons, plus Gelato Pops dipped in chocolate, in eight of Talenti’s best-selling flavors.

Consumers can find Talenti at grocers nationwide, and through The Ice Cream Shop, delivered via DoorDash, GrubHub, Postmates and UberEats.
 
 
THE LAUNCH OF TALENTI LAYERS

Talenti Layers was not the first “sundae in a pint.”

 
Talenti Layers launched in 2019, after Talenti saw the consumer demand for even more indulgence than its regular pints.

Each Layers pint has five layers: two different flavors of ice cream plus two layers of crunch (chocolate flakes, cookies, crisps, crumbles, peanut butter cups, pie crusts, pretzels, etc.) and a layer of sauce (caramel, dulce de leche, frosting, fruit sauce, fudge, etc.)

Since its launch, sales of Talenti Layers have grown year over year, with continued growth on the horizon.

And there are 17 different Layers flavors…which have led us to a food fantasy:

A table of all 17 pints and a spoon. If Talenti is listening: We have room in the freezer! And we’re willing to share!
 
 
THE MOST POPULAR TALENTI LAYERS FLAVORS

We love every flavor we’ve tried. Talenti Salted Caramel Truffle Layers is the fan favorite. More beloved flavors (in alphabetical order):

 
Talenti Layers can be found at grocery retailers nationwide.

You can start by digging all the way down to the bottom of the jar to get every single delicious layer in one bite.

Pro Tip: Leave the pint on the counter for 5-7 minutes if you’d like to scoop all the way down to the bottom layer and get all five layers in one spoonful.

Or, become an archaeologist and “excavate” the pint, layer by layer. There are no rules when it comes to enjoying Talenti Layers.
 
 
THE MOST POPULAR “REGULAR” TALENTI FLAVORS

Of course, we still consume pints and pints from the main Talenti line. Across the regular line of Talenti products, the most popular flavors are (alphabetical order, again):

 
All Talenti products are kosher and non-GMO.

And remember: If you can’t find your favorite in stores, head to The Ice Cream Shop*.
 
 
IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT ICE CREAM & SORBET

Check out all types of frozen desserts.

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*Not all flavors may be available in your area.