Dave and Dr BBQ go way back. Don’t believe me? Go look up all the stories Ray Lampe packed into Fiery Foods Central, like Dr. BBQ’s Halloween Feast. That’s where I shamelessly pilfered discovered this recipe for spiced cider.
Pan de Muerto, “Bread of the Dead”
Halloween and the Day of the Dead are lumbering toward us. Just like with zombies, if you blink they’re on you and it’s all over. If you’re looking for some thing to set the mood, there’s a great article on Day of the Dead eats here. This Pan de Muerto recipe is just one of the recipes you’ll find there.
Cream of Jalapeno Soup with Chicken
Really, fall could just as easily be called “soup season.” All the kids are back at school, spreading cold germs as fast as their noses can run, and sharing the bounty with their parents and teachers. Who, in spite of their heroic defense, succumb eventually. Dave DeWitt’s Fall Into Spicy Soups article is a great primer on soup in general. His Cream of Jalapeno Soup with Chicken, though, is tasty whether you’re sick or not.
Candied Peppers: How-to
Harald Zoschke’s excellent article on candied chiles is another great way for preserving your little garden hotties and it makes them sweet to boot. Here’s the process he wrote up for us in Candied Capsicums. You can also check his original story for recipe inspiration.
Building a Pepper Dryer
Usually when I play with wood, it doesn’t involve vegetables. Moreover, most times I finish in less than a month. Making this solar pepper dryer, though, was a notable exception to both. Part conversation piece, part raisin maker, the box dryer is a cheap way to dry vegetation without sucking juice from a power grid. I swear some of my neighbors thought I was building a coffin when I started. Glaring at them and nodding my head did little to discourage this, but I’m kind of twisted like that.
Oregano-Garlic Green Chile Vinegar: Recipe
I’m not a patient man unless it comes to barbecue. Even then, it’s an internal struggle between my personalities to keep myself from checking the smoker too often. Luckily, you don’t need patience to make good use of your chile harvest. Vinegars, oils, and extracts are all instant gratification for putting hot peppers to good use. This oregano-garlic green chile vinegar recipe is a good one, as are the others in this article.
How-to: Making Chile Powder
Most of us are harvesting our chile bounty right now. If you’re new, the big question confronting you is what to do with all of these pepper pods. Smoke ’em? Dry ’em? Give them away? There’s plenty of information on what to make of pods here but if powder is your poison, here’s what you can do according to the pope.
