Ancho and Poblano Chiles

Of all the civilizations the Spanish explorers found in the New World, the one that loved the native chile peppers the most was the Aztecs. Theirs was a culture in which the hot and tasty treats were revered almost as much as sex.

Over the centuries, Aztec cookery grew and spread to become the basis for the Mexican food of today, and many Aztec dishes have lasted through the years basically unchanged. Usually, these foods were roasted, boiled, or cooked in sauces, in a legacy that Dave DeWitt, the noted Pope of Peppers, has compiled into this wonderful addition to his scintillating Pepper Pantry series.