How cool are Hatch chiles? They're frozen in L.A. Creamery's new ice cream

How cool are Hatch chiles? They’re frozen in L.A. Creamery’s new ice cream

Hatch Chile ice cream from L.A. Creamery

Aug. 22, 2014 11:02 AM PT

Having lived a good part of my life in New Mexico, I have seen some wacky things done in the name of green chile. I have done some myself. And sometimes they have even tasted good. L.A. Creamery has just come up with one.

I remember back in the olden times, before there was a chile roaster on every corner, we’d have to take our bushels of green to neighborhood bakeries, which would close down for one or two days a week to use their ovens for roasting massive amounts of chiles. The one near me would collect the juices and the little bits of schmutz that was left over and knead it into bread dough. Really good.

Back in the ‘80s, when beurre blanc was the height of sophistication, I sometimes stirred a few roasted, peeled, chopped green chiles into mine. Served with a trout mousse, it was pretty terrific – at least that’s how I remember it (I know beurre blanc has gone the way of all trended-out dishes, but does anyone even make mousse anymore either?).

L.A. Creamery’s spin is even stranger. They add an essence of roasted green chiles to vanilla ice cream to make their Hatch Green Chile ice cream, which goes on sale Saturday in an exclusive at Bristol Farms stores.

We got an early batch to sample and I’ve got to say that odd as it sounds, it’s actually kind of good. It’s made with the juice from the roasted green chiles, so at first glance, it looks like plain vanilla, with a very pale greenish tint – like maybe it’s seasick or something. There’s little or no heat, but there is a very clean, pure flavor of roasted chiles that balances nicely with the creamy vanilla.

It’s one of those dishes that evokes a double-take: First you taste vanilla ice cream, then you pick up that roasted pepper flavor coming up behind. As a friend of mine used to say, “Weird but good.”

It’s $7.49 for a 14-ounce carton. It’s a very limited run, and it’s done when this batch is sold, so if it sounds good, you’d better hurry.

And as long as we’re going on about green chile, here’s a reminder that there’s still a couple of weeks left in the Hatch chile season. Here are the roastings still remaining on our schedule:

SATURDAY

Albertsons Carpinteria, 1018 Casitas Pass Road, Carpinteria

Albertsons Costa Mesa, 2300-C Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa

Bristol Farms South Pasadena, 606 Fair Oaks Ave., South Pasadena

Bristol Farms Westchester, 8448 Lincoln Blvd., Westchester

Gelson’s La Canada Flintridge, 635 Foothill Blvd., La Canada Flintridge

Northgate Escondido, 606 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido

Northgate La Puente, 831 N. Hacienda Blvd., La Puente

Northgate Pico Rivera, 9101 E. Telegraph Road, Pico Rivera

Ralphs Huntington Beach, 19081 Goldenwest St., Huntington Beach

Ralphs La Canada Flintridge, 521 Foothill Blvd., La Canada Flintridge

Ralphs San Clemente, 903 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente