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Frequently Asked Questions 1. Where does Bueno® chile come from?
From the fertile Rio Grande River Valley in southern New Mexico. Some people refer to this as the Hatch River Valley.
A chile pepper is green when it is first harvested in late summer. Bueno Foods then takes it from the field to the freezer within 24 hours of harvest for a crisp, fresh, robust green chile flavor. If the green chile is left on the vine to mature, the pepper will turn red. It is then dehydrated and made into pods, powders and purees.
New Mexico is known for growing the best chile in the world but it's not just because of our state's climate, soil, and seed. It's also because our farming practices are the best in the world. Our green chile season begins with the long-standing relationships that we have built with our farmers over the years. They have been farming the land, in some cases, for generations. Chile is their cultural heritage, like ours, and they make sure that the chile meets our stringent quality specifications for color, texture, size and heat level. And just to be sure, we have a full time field inspector who monitors our chile crops from planting through harvest. We also require our farmers to use certified chile seed to maintain the integrity of the genetic strain. In addition, with 50 to 100 quality checks per hour, we ensure quality and product safety. Our green chile is picked, flame roasted, peeled, packed and flash frozen all within 24 hours of harvest. The result is premium quality.
Over half a century ago, it was our dream to preserve a part of our culture by roasting chile over an open flame as the wonderful New Mexico autumn tradition dictated, and freezing it so that people could enjoy green chile year-round. There was no equipment for this kind of process, so we had to build it. There was no process, so we had to invent it. And so we became the first commercial producer of flame roasted, fresh frozen green chile. Today, we have perfected the flame roasting process through state-of-the-art methods. Our equipment is custom designed and fabricated for the BUENO® process and product. Our custom burners and ovens are designed to get the proper mix of time, temperature, and turn for flavor development. There are no quick passes for our chile--unlike our competitors, we do a true roast that caramelizes the chile's natural sugars, enhancing the authentic, robust green chile flavor.
Flash freezing locks in the natural bright green color, firm texture, pleasant aroma, robust flavor and nutrients of green chile, preserving the product naturally without preservatives or additives. On the other hand, canned green chile is steamed at a high temperature for a long period of time and then preserved in an acid bath. This canned process leeches color and nutrients, deteriorates the molecular structure of the chile which results in mushy texture, a vinegary aroma and acidic flavor. Which would you rather eat—fresh frozen or canned?
When red meets green-it's a very good thing! A chile pepper is green when it is first harvested in late summer and, if left on the vine to mature, the pepper will turn red. Depending the weather conditions, in any given year, a chile crop might contain more red than other times. In fact, native New Mexicans actually prefer some fresh red in their green chile because it adds a hint of sweetness, a unique burst of flavor.
Whereas most tortilla producers have gone the way of refined corn flour (maseca) in making their corn tortillas, Bueno Foods still grinds all its corn the old-fashioned, traditional way. Tens of thousands of years ago, our ancestors used a flat stone called a metate to grind corn. Today, we carry on this tradition by incorporating ancient lava rocks from Mexico into our machinery to grind the corn and by employing a Master Craftsman to maintain the grinding stones by sculpting and etching them by hand. Even though we are one of the few manufactures who still grind corn in this traditional manner, we hold onto the tradition because the result is a superior corn tortilla with full bodied, true corn flavor and authentic texture.
It is our duty as a food manufacturer to provide food that is wholesome and safe to our customers. We go above and beyond to minimize all food safety risks by employing a comprehensive food safety program. This includes a HACCP Food Safety Program, prerequisite food safety programs including inspections and supplier approval, good manufacturing practices and sanitation programs, and a complete auditing program in all food processes. Though we are only required by USDA to have a HACCP Program for processes that include meat products, we have chosen to institute a HACCP Program in all processes including bakery and vegetable processes. As one link in the food chain we do everything possible to maintain the integrity of that food chain. 9. What are the health benefits of eating chile? Chile is high in vitamins and low in calories and sodium. Green Chile has twice the vitamin C of citrus fruit and red chile has more vitamin A than carrots. Eight tablespoons of Bueno® Green Chile and ½ cup of Bueno® Red Chile Puree equals the recommended adult reference daily intake (RDI) requirements from vitamins C and A. 10. If I am interested in a product how may I obtain a sample? Bueno Foods is happy to provide you with a sample. View the Contact Us section and click on the area you reside to obtain information for the designated sales rep in your area. |