The Fresh Chile Company Podcast

In 1985 there was a poster on the wall of a restaurant in Las Cruces that caused me to smile. “On this spot 100 years ago, nothing happened.” Actually, in the then New Mexico territory in Las Cruces,…

Today is 2024 Veteran’s Day, a national holiday celebrating the men and women who have or are serving in the military. Don’t confuse Veteran’s Day with Memorial Day which honors American service memb…

When I go outside in Las Cruces I look up and see airplanes. Little ones, big ones, those with propellors or jet engines along with helicopters. In 1916, airplanes came suddenly to New Mexico. They d…

Over the years many creatures have walked over New Mexico lands. Buffalo, Elk, Antelopes, Deer, Bighorn Sheep, Cattle, Horses, Mules, Goats, but there was an animal that caused locals to wonder if th…

New Mexico and Arizona have an entwined history. They started as one entity, the U. S. Territory of New Mexico in 1850. In that entity from Hobbs to Yuma and northward was all New Mexico. New Mexico …

New Mexico is known worldwide as the Land of Enchantment. It has a magnificent daytime and nighttime captivating countryside with beautiful vistas day or night. Half the great views you can see by - …

I want to talk about the chile of old such as the Old West Southwestern chile and then the future of chile. I even want your views on what combination of flavors that isn’t being done right now could…

I spend some mornings at a wonderful coffee shop telling stories. Most of the stories might be true. It is lovely to drink coffee and laugh with friends. Without water we wouldn’t have coffee nor gre…

I am told that an Iceberg is 10 percent visible and 90 percent below the water line. Las Cruces hasn’t seen an Iceberg in forever, except in Hollywood movies. What is the commonality of Icebergs and …

I had an interesting question from someone: “Why is everyone so taken by chile?” Most of us were born here in New Mexico and do not remember a time when we were not eating chile peppers. Yes, we had …

When you see a new chile pepper salsa at the Fresh Chile Company, you know this didn’t happen by accident. It took lots of work and innovation to invent, yes, invent a new salsa. Well now there is a …

It was with sadness that I learned on Wednesday that former NMSU, St. Louis Cardinals and Denver Bronco quarterback Charley Johnson has passed at age 85. It wasn’t his intention to leave Texas and co…

In New Mexico we have what I’m going to call the New Mexico grown chile pepper plant. It’s central to our identity. We go to restaurants for their chips and salsa. The question: red or green is answe…

This weekend is the 52nd annual Hatch Chile Festival in Hatch, New Mexico the Chile Capital of the world. Saturday and Sunday, August 31 and September 1st the small Southern New Mexico town will be b…

With some New Mexico towns and cities only the name is needed, not having to say, New Mexico. Example: Albuquerque, where there is no need for New Mexico. But some, like Las Vegas, need New Mexico or…

New Mexico is the Land of Enchantment and Mystery. There is no greater mystery than the 1896 disappearance and obvious death of Albert Jennings Fountain and his 8-year-old son Henry. This is the thir…

In the last Enchanting Stories Podcast I talked about 15-year-old Jim White who discovered and explored and over the years promoted Carlsbad Caverns. Several people were surprised to find a 15-year-o…

Once upon a time in the territory of New Mexico a 15-year-old cowboy was riding by himself looking for stray cattle. It was 1897. He is one of many youngsters in New Mexico history that changed our s…

I was talking with an agricultural researcher some years ago. He said something that I still remember: this success we have in growing plants, it all came about from our many failures. Only by findin…

As Civil War battles go, the First Battle of Mesilla July 25-27,1861 was interesting but not right for a Hollywood movie, or was it? Could there be heroes and villains, brave men and cowards? There w…