SAN ANTONIO – Hatch chili peppers will be the big talk at Central Market for two weeks in August during the 29th annual Hatch Chile Pepper celebration.
Central Market will celebrate with in-store events from Aug. 7-20, including new products and recipes.
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Every year during the event, Central Market brings more than 125 tons of peppers from Hatch, New Mexico.
This year’s celebration will include a Hatch pepper party, which will feature free tastings and sessions on how to prepare meals with Hatch peppers. The party will be from 2-5 p.m. on Aug. 10 at Central Market, located at 4821 Broadway Street.
Here are some new items coming to the store.
Market department:
- Dean & Peelers Smoked Gouda and Hatch Green Chile Smoked Sausage: These sausages are made in Floresville and feature smokey beef and pork sausages with Hatch chili peppers and creamy Gouda cheese.
- Bourbon Hatch Chile Marinated Chicken Breasts and Marinated Half Chickens: Prepared in-house with Central Market’s chef-approved seasonings and marinades.
- Smoked Wagyu Beef Brisket & Cheddar Hatch Burger: The burgers are made with Wagyu-X mixed with brisket, cheddar cheese and diced Hatch chili peppers.
Floral department:
- Hatch Pepper Ristras: Ristras are edible and can be used as decorations. They measure 18-24 inches in bunches and can be displayed near doors, windows or arches. New Mexico uses the decoration as a symbol of welcome.
- Southwest-inspired succulent plants: The plants are inspired by the landscapes and canyons of Southwest New Mexico.
- Varietal Hot Pepper Plants: The market will have six-inch varietal hot pepper plants.
Specialty foods department:
- Brenham Kitchens Hatch Green Chile Salsa: This medium-heat salsa is made in small batches in Brenham, Texas.
- Country Archer: This jerky will be Hatch-flavored grass-fed. Each package will contain nine grams of protein per serving.
- Southwest Popcorn Co. Hatch Caramel Corn: The traditional sweet caramel popcorn will be blended with spicy green and red Hatch peppers.
Dairy and frozen department:
- Happy Tomato: This Hatch salsa is made in small batches using fresh tomatoes from Fort Worth, Texas.
- Wise Pies: This stone-fired thin-crust pizza brand started in New Mexico as a brand for calzones and pizza bites.
Beer and wine department:
- Braai Cabernet: A bold wine with flavors of dark berries and smoke. According to the news release, the wine would complement different barbecue-friendly dishes.
- Braai Pinotage: The wine is aged in French barrels for 13 months and has dark fruit flavors.
- Indaba Mosaic: This is a Bordeaux blend with blackcurrant flavors, ripe brambly berry fruit, dark chocolate, subtle spice notes and soft tannins.
Deli and cheese department:
- Central Market In-House Roasted Oak Smoked Hatch Turkey Breast: A new dry rub combined with oak smoke, garlic and dry Hatch peppers.
- Beehive Cheese Hatch Chile Curds: The curds are from Utah and are hand-tossed with Hatch peppers.
Bakery department:
- Chipotle Hatch Jack Cheese Bread: The bread is made with chipotle pepper and roasted Hatch peppers. Each loaf is studded with diced Monterey Jack cheese.
- Hatch Apple Pecan Crisp: This recipe combines roasted diced Hatch peppers with pie filling and tops it with a buttery pecan oat crisp.
- Hatch Blue Corn Tortilla Cookies: The cookies are made with Masienda heirloom blue corn, yellow corn flour and roasted Hatch peppers to create the butter cookies with the aroma of toasted corn tortillas.
Central Market’s chef preparations:
- Hatch Chicken Lasagna: This lasagna features bold layers of pulled rotisserie chicken, cheese, smoked Hatch peppers and tender pasta.
- Hatch Tamale Casserole: The Tex-Mex chicken tamales will have Hatch pesto cream, topped with cotija cheese and diced roasted Hatch peppers.
- Turkey and Hatch Pesto Wrap: The wrap will consist of roasted turkey with Hatch pesto, Hatch buttermilk ranch, lettuce, and manchego cheese in a Southwest tortilla.
Visit the Central Market website starting Aug. 7 to view additional new store items. You can also view Hatch pepper recipes here.