One of the problems with online holiday shopping is that you end up buying stuff for yourself. For example, while buying a bunch of beans for a friend, I also bought myself some beans and some chile powder.

Yeah, I know, beans? But these are Rancho Gordo heirloom dried beans, which I first heard about on Last Night's Dinner over a year ago, and had never gotten around to trying. I still haven't gotten around to trying the beans, I just finally got arouind to ordering them. And while ordering them, I couldn't resist the New Mexico Red Chile Powder, which I have tried.

New Mexico Red is, in terms of heat and smoke levels, close to Ancho in the dried and ground chile category. But while ancho is dark and a bit... raisiny, New Mexico Red is brighter and fruitier, with a hint of sweetness. I made a large batch of chicken chili (chicken, onions, fresh bell pepper, fresh jalapeno, fresh poblano, black beans, canned tomato product) with some of the NM Red coating the chicken before browning and some added in to adjust the flavor at the end, and it was pretty fucking fantastic.

It's three bucks for a four ounce jar, and five bucks for the eight, which is reasonable as hell even after you add in shipping. I should have gotten the eight ounce jar. Actually, I will. Probably several. I should see how to make red enchilada sauce - I bet this'd be fantastic for that.

Anyway, another chile powder in my arsenal. Now I just need to figure out the best way to cook up a pound of Old Mother Stallard beans in the next couple of weeks. Hello, pork neck bones in my freezer.