Hatch Chile Ice Cubes and a Giveaway

Today I thought I’d spice things up a bit… literally. I know it’s usually my cocktail day, but since summer’s drawing to a close, I thought I’d do something that goes in one of those classic cocktails instead of the cocktail itself. Other than the liquor what could possibly go into a classic cocktail? Ice of course.

Don’t worry, I’m not going to teach you how to make ice cubes as I’m sure you all know how to do that. But why use plain old ordinary water ice cubes when you could add some flavor? Or better yet, some heat? How can you add heat to an ice cube? By making chile ice cubes of course. Hatch Chile ice cubes.  Flavored ice cubes may sound odd, but isn’t a flavored cube really just a small popsicle? Of course it is. But unlike the standard popsicle, these icy treats slowly add flavor to the cocktail as they melt thereby enhancing the drink even further.

Why am I talking about Hatch Chiles? Because it’s Hatch Chile season and now’s the time to strike as these lovely little green chiles are around for a very short time. See, Hatch season starts in August and only goes for five or six weeks. After that, you’ll have to wait until next year to get your hatch chile on… Unless you freeze them, then you’ll have them year round. But if you’re worried you won’t like the chiles because you’re like me and not a fan of spice, I have news for you. The Hatch chiles come in various heats. That’s right, there are mild chiles, medium chiles, hot chiles and ridiculously hot chiles. As a matter of fact, Hatch chiles are the only chile that’s actually grown according to it’s heat.  There’s only one problem: they all look the same. So, if you’re concerned about getting the right temperature, make sure you ask your produce department.

I used hot Hatch Chiles for my ice cubes because I thought the heat from the chiles would balance nicely with the ice cold tomato juice and cucumber vodka in my bloody mary. I was right. But beware, the spice got more and more intense as the ice cubes melted. It was still delicious, but by the end of my drink, I did need a couple tissues as my nose was beginning to run.

How did I come up with the idea for chile ice cubes? I must admit, it wasn’t mine. Melissa’s Produce, who was nice enough to give me the chiles, recently came out with a cookbook that’s all about Hatch Chiles. They have everything in that book from appetizers to desserts, including these wonderful chile ice cubes. But here’s the awesome part: they gave me an extra cookbook, some dried chiles and some chile powder to share with you!

Want this scorching prize pack? Here’s how you win: (Main entry required.) THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. Congratulations to Jane (Wehaf) Valentine for winning all the chile goodness.

Leave a comment here telling me how hot you like your chiles. Are you like me and prefer just a little tang or do you like to have a box of tissues nearby for when your eyes start to water and your nose starts to run?

Want extra entries?

Each item you do will get you one chance to win (for a total of five chances). If you already do any of these things they do count! So make sure to leave a separate comment for each item.

1. Follow @kitchycooker on Twitter and tweet the following with a link back in the comments to your tweet: “I just entered to win a #hatchchile prize pack from @kitchycooker and @melissasproduce. Have you? http://www.kitchycooking.com/2013/08/hatch-chile-ice-cubes-and-a-giveaway/
2. Like my facebook page.
3. Like Melissa’s facebook page.
4. Subscribe to the Kitchy Cooking RSS feed.

The Fine Print

• This giveaway is only open to residents of the 50 United States. (Sorry, shipping to Europe and Canada’s pricey.)
• Giveaway will end on Friday, August 23rd at 11:59 pm PST. One winner with a valid entry will be chosen via a random number generator at random.org.  The winner will then be notified via the e-mail they provide when they leave a comment.
• Winner has until August 26th at 10 pm PST to claim their prize or I’ll pick another winner.

Now that I’ve laid out all the nitty gritty details, here’s what you’ve all been waiting for – the recipe for these hot ice cubes.

Hatch Chile Ice Cubes

Ingredients:

• 5 cups water
• 2 Hatch Chiles, roasted, peeled, stemmed, seeded and coarsely chopped.

Directions:

1. Combine the water and the Hatch Chiles in a blender and blend until the chiles are fully incorporated. Let the chile water sit for about 4 minutes.
2. Skim off any froth that rises to the top, then pour the chile water into ice cube trays and freeze.
3. Once the ice cubes are ready, add them to any of your favorite cocktails or mocktails.

PLEASE NOTE: Melissa’s provided me with the cookbook and the chile powder. I was not compensated for this post and all opinions expressed in this post are my own.