by Helene Siegel and Karen Gillingham
Like many Americans who came to chile peppers late in life, we approached them cautiously. Nobody said an ingredient that caught us in the back of the throat and throttles us, brought tears streaming from our eyes, made our hearts palpitate and lips tingle was going to be easy love. But then chile peppers snuck up on us and struck some elemental flavor chords. In neighborhood joints we ate fabulous chilies rellenos made of fresh-roasted poblanos – rather than wimpy canned Anaheims – that surprised us with their depth of flavor. Fiery, fruity, smokey salsas gave sparkle to ordinary grilled meats, poultry, and fish. While the spicy foods from Szechwan had reawakened our tired taste buds years ago, when we tasted the sophisticated sweet, sour, spicy, and salty harmony that is Thai food we felt we were onto something more than mere infatuation. Call it chile love.
