The mystery of the Hatch...

Nope, this isn't a post about Lost or geekgirls who find Richard Hatch sexy... This is a post about my favorite food time of year here in Foat Wuth. I'm all excited because the Hatch chiles are in town! (and yeah, for the cynical out there, this does get me excited...)

For the uninitiated, Hatch chiles are from Hatch, New Mexico, and are a bit spicier than standard Anaheim peppers. Hatch chiles are so popular that there's a festival in Hatch every labor day weekend. So of course, the chile-heads here in Fort Worth have their own celebrations.

Central Market has received their shipment of Hatch chiles. I was there on Monday, and they had boxes and boxes of fresh, but none of the pre-roasted. So if you don't mind doing your own roasting, you're in luck. I imagine they'll have the roasted ones out soon.

After seeing the chiles at Central Market the other day, I was hopeful that Blue Mesa already had their annual Hatch chile menu up and running. You see, every year during Hatch chile season, Blue Mesa offers a special menu that's only available until they run out of chiles. I become a very frequent Blue Mesa customer during August...

So I was excited to see the Hatch chile menu cards on the table last night! I immediately ordered a bowl of Hatch chile Pozole. It's made from veal, veal stock, hominy and Hatch chiles, and it is this rich, thick soup that is so delicious... I really wish Blue Mesa offered this in the winter...

I also had the Hatch chile rellenos, which are also wonderful. The dish comes with one chicken and one cheese, and both are good for showing off the Hatch chile flavors. The chicken relleno shows off the spiciness and the way the spice builds, while the cheese relleno brings out the smokiness of the roasted pepper.

My other favorite Blue Mesa Hatch item is the steak relleno taco, but that will have to wait for the next visit.

Hatch season typically begins in early August and runs through early September. Roasted peppers freeze well, so put some up for the winter cooking.

Blue Mesa will feature a Hatch happy hour on August 14 from 5-7. They'll offer free tastings of some Hatch chile items, and they'll also have free tastings of Tezon tequilas.

If you're more inclined toward dinner than happy hour, Blue Mesa will have a Hatch dinner party on August 23. Reservations are recommended.