Not everyone realizes the cultural significance of chile peppers, particularly if you live outside the southwestern U.S. This article from the Pueblo Chieftain does a good job at doing just that, and about a pepper that doesn’t get too much talk in the world of habaneros, jalapenos, and even Bhut jolokias…the mirasol pepper.

Think Pueblo, think chiles

Fiery peppers gaining notoriety

By GAYLE PEREZ
THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN

The horticulturist who bred the first chile peppers had no idea that the plant would become the identity of an entire community.

Today, the mirasol known locally as the Pueblo chile pepper permeates not only the culture and food, but also the identity of the Pueblo community. (Mira sol in Spanish means looking at the sun.)

During the fall harvest, chile lovers from throughout the region converge on Pueblo to stock up on their annual supply of the long, thick, sweet but fiery peppers.

“The Pueblo chile means a lot to this city,” said Rod Slyhoff, president of the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce. “People know and recognize Pueblo for its chile. It used to be that only people from Pueblo knew about the Pueblo chile. Now, people from all over know that this is the best place to get Pueblo (marisol) chile.”

From now until the first freeze, locals, transplants and pepper connoisseurs from throughout the region will visit local growers and the Farmers Market to purchase bags and bushels of the palate-pleasing mirasol pepper.

The Pueblo chile name was said to have been changed locally to mirasol by area growers after customers repeatedly came looking for the thick, tasty pepper that thrives in Pueblo’s semiarid climate.

Although local farmers grow several varieties of peppers ranging from mild to extremely spicy, it’s the mirasol type that’s the hottest commodity.

Mirasol is recognizable by the unusual way in which the tip of the pepper grows facing toward the sun.

Chile eaters say it’s the combination of sweet and fire combined with a meaty pepper that has made the chile harvest season in Pueblo a festive occasion.

Click here to read the rest of the source article from the Pueblo Chieftain

Maybe we’ll try to grow some mirasol peppers next year. They can’t do any worse than a couple of our choices we made this year….