The chile is the official vegetable of the state of New Mexico. Here are some fun facts about why New Mexico may be the “spiciest” state in the U.S.
- The people of New Mexico eat more chilies per capita than in any other state in the U.S.
- Over 80,000 tons of chilies are grown in New Mexico
- The most popular question to ask in New Mexico is Red or Green?
- Hatch Valley has coined the chili capital of America where special Hatch chilies are farmed
- A ristra is a collection of dried pepper pods that are used as a popular decorative item in the homes of New Mexico.
- Red and green chilies have been depicted by many artists in paintings and other artwork of New Mexico
- It is a state law in New Mexico that chilies must be grown in New Mexico to be named or labeled New Mexico chilies
- The Hatch Chiles, the Anaheim Pepper, Rio Grande Chiles, and the Pueblo Chiles are all chilies that have been cultivated by the people of New Mexico.
- Fabian Garcia was the horticulturalist who first pioneered the New Mexico Chile No. 9 back in 1913
- Paul Bosland founded the Chili Pepper Institute at the University of New Mexico to study chilies from New Mexico and also those grown throughout the world.