Lime Pie with Crunchy Coconut Crust ~ Pay de Limón con Corteza Crujiente de Coco

I inherited my love of making pies from my mom. Over the years, I have watched her make dozens of crusts, slice hundreds of apples, and nestle buckets of freshly-picked black raspberries still warm from the summer sun into many a pie plate. My mom taught me not to be afraid of the process. Yes, it involves a few steps, but the end result is always stunning albeit tasty.

Chile Pasilla

The other day, as I looked at the colorful dried chiles in their glass jars all lined up in a row in my cupboard, I realized that I had not posted a chile analysis in a while. As I’ve mentioned here before,  it really wasn’t until I started working with dried chiles that I truly understood the profound flavors of Mexican cuisine. Now, I feel compelled to demystify them so that others are more likely to use them.

As an artist, I appreciate the chile like paint on a palette. By itself, each chile has a unique color and flavor that is independently beautiful just like each color of the rainbow. However, when colors are combined and painted is layered, an artist has the ability to create beauty in a painting. I especially enjoy when an artist understands the use of darks and lights because such contrast brings depth and life to artwork. Chiles are the same way. When blended with other chiles, the cook can create new tastes. However, it is the great cook who understands that in addition to flavor, each chile has tone. Some chiles deliver fresh, punchy notes while others are smooth, dark, and mysterious and add background flavors.

The pasilla chile is that one that will add complexity and sophistication to your cooking. Not only is it dark in color, but it is also bewitching in tone. It has the ability to make a person stop and say, “Now what is that flavor?”