Sixer

Single Image Link:
Dried Red Chiles which is really just part of the “pepper pr0n” series. The curious part of the image is the delicate shading with the variegated deeper tones of red, almost to a black, but not quite.

I got fascinated with just plain old grocery store chili peppers for several reasons. I’ve got a client in Anthony, TX – or Anthony, NM – which are two sides of the same town. He was explaining how the chili peppers that are legendary Hatch, NM chili peppers, frequently the peppers branded as such are really from Old Mexico, or other parts of New Mexico, West Texas, Southern AZ, but if an owner farms 10 acres in Hatch, then the peppers can be branded as Hatch Chili – even if they’re not from Hatch, for real.

At least two upscale grocery chains, the Austin (TX) original Whole Foods and the Kerrville (TX) upstart, HEB, both of those chains list the place of origin for produce, which is a good touch, HEB has an updated store format, aptly nicknamed the “Gucci Bee,” that seems to carry even more locally produced products and produce, and then, there’s the Hatch Chili Festival.

HEB now has its world headquarters in San Antonio which makes it an appropriate (and frequent) target for the Simple Side Project. As an observation, neither good nor bad, the San Antonio markets display peppers with more reverence and character than other places. Peppers are revered. Respected. Celebrated. Hence the pepper affectations.

The delicate nuance in flavors and heat, that’s something, too. As I travel westward, I noticed that heat index in food changed, again, part of the obsession with peppers.

Alongside that single pepper link, there was an earlier image, it was dried red chilies in a bin, with whole garlic bulbs spilling over. The juxtaposition of elements, the mental flavor, the visual appeal, the hinted flavors, that was a favorite shot.

I think this is from the big super HEB, down on the south side of town, South San Antonio.

Blast from the distant past:
I think the picture says it all? I mean, I hope it does.

Big tip-o-the-hat to X-topper.