In New Mexico, chiles are serious business.
So serious, in fact, they’re now written into the law of the land. As of March 2023, ‘roasting green chile’ is now the official scent of New Mexico. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the bill, making New Mexico the first state in the country with an official aroma. “You would be hard-pressed to find a destination more closely associated with an aroma than New Mexico and roasting green chile,” says Grisham. “Chile is tied into nearly every aspect of New Mexico life, from our culture to our economy.” The state produced a whopping 53,000 tons of the peppers in 2022.
— Read more in New Mexico Now Has an Official Scent—Here’s Where to Experience the Best of It at Condé Nast Traveler.
I love this news and I really miss New Mexico. I can’t believe the last time I was there was 24 years ago!
Oh dear Joe, now I have to figure out how many years it has been since I was there. It might be 26 or 27? Wow.