Every summer, an unmistakable aroma begins to waft through grocery store parking lots and restaurant patios across the Southwest: the smoky, sweet, slightly earthy scent of roasting Hatch green chiles. For those who know, this is not just another seasonal crop—it’s a signal, a short but celebrated season mid-July through September when a particular New Mexican pepper takes over menus, farmers markets, and culinary imagination.
In Dallas, Hatch pepper season is marked by a surge of pop-up roasters, limited-time restaurant specials, and shoppers filling bags with pounds of the bright green pods. But where do these peppers come from, and why have they achieved such near-mythical status?
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