Chile Ristras, A String Story
In the American Southwest, chile peppers flourish between September and October. In New Mexico, they are sold by the bushel, not the pound. Sacks of green, and then red chiles appear in the markets–and for around $20.00 you can take that bushel home.
The chiles being so abundant need to be preserved. Only the most mature plant, the Red Chile (New Mexico, Cayenne), is suitable for preserving. Green chiles are an immature fruit, and carry too much moisture to go through the sun drying process.
