What began as a
family tradition dating back nearly 50 years, has become Merlie's award-winning Blue
Ribbon Chile and Salsa. Her Albuquerque, New Mexico business now ships the hot delicacy to
outlets all over the country.
Merlinda's family recipe for "salsa muy sabrosa!" a zesty and full flavored chile (not to be confused with Tex-Mex chili), reflects the cultural and sensual richness of her New Mexico heritage. As a child, Merlinda and her mother learned the secrets of canning green chile at her grandmother's house. Every week after Sunday mass, the entire family cleaned, roasted, peeled and canned the chile."
Freezing the chile, as most people do, just never appealed to me," Merlinda said. "I always felt that the chile lost its flavor. Maybe I was just so spoiled by the taste of my jarred chile and the fact that as a working mother, it was so convenient and easier to prepare."
Merlinda always canned more than she needed. She shared the surplus with her co-workers and friends and, before long, they wanted cases of the hot stuff. In 1994, her green chile and salsa both won blue ribbons at the New Mexico State Fair.
She now sells her award-winning chile and salsa to outlets throughout Albuquerque and to fans across the country. With each jar, she promises, "For Mother and Grandmother, I will keep up the quality of our wonderful chile and most importantly, do my best to share our exquisite cooking and serve my customer's needs."
Merlinda's family recipe for "salsa muy sabrosa!" a zesty and full flavored chile (not to be confused with Tex-Mex chili), reflects the cultural and sensual richness of her New Mexico heritage. As a child, Merlinda and her mother learned the secrets of canning green chile at her grandmother's house. Every week after Sunday mass, the entire family cleaned, roasted, peeled and canned the chile."
Freezing the chile, as most people do, just never appealed to me," Merlinda said. "I always felt that the chile lost its flavor. Maybe I was just so spoiled by the taste of my jarred chile and the fact that as a working mother, it was so convenient and easier to prepare."
Merlinda always canned more than she needed. She shared the surplus with her co-workers and friends and, before long, they wanted cases of the hot stuff. In 1994, her green chile and salsa both won blue ribbons at the New Mexico State Fair.
She now sells her award-winning chile and salsa to outlets throughout Albuquerque and to fans across the country. With each jar, she promises, "For Mother and Grandmother, I will keep up the quality of our wonderful chile and most importantly, do my best to share our exquisite cooking and serve my customer's needs."