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Central Market Houston At 3815 Westheimer Rd.


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Does anyone go to CM’s Hatch Chili Festival, or anyone else’s? This is the first year we have done so. Hatch peppers only come out once a year for about two weeks at the end of August. We normally buy about 15 or so pounds of them and roast them on the grill.

This year we bought a whole case, and CM roasted them on the spot in a large drum with a propane burner.

I love Hatch peppers, and Michelle makes a great Green Chili Stew with them. It is chock full of melt-your-mouth goodness!

Any other Hatch lovers out there. Anyone going to Central Market this weekend, or next?

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i bought 20 lbs last week from central market, roasted them in the oven, steamed them and froze all but one bag. i grew up in new mexico, and we bought them every year. they would roast them on the side of the road, or my parents would put them on the grill, and we'd freeze them for the rest of the year. my father would eat them with almost everything, but green chili chicken enchilada casserole was one of my favorite ways of eating them as a child. have tried to make it myself, but it's just not as good as my mom's or my aunts'. now, i've turned into my father, and eat them with more and more things.

this time of year through fall is great in new mexico. don't know if you can do it anymore, but we used to go out with our paper bags, and collect pinons (can't remember if it was september or october). my mother would boil them in salt water and then roast them, and put them out for everyone to munch on.

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hmmmmm, hubbell & hudson has a big display about a hatch festival and tubs of peppers. didn't know what it's about. what would one do with pounds of these "hatch" peppers?

half of what i got is for my mother. she's on the east coast and only has access to the canned stuff. what you do is freeze it after roasting (or blistering) it for use throughout the rest of the year. most of the time,after freezing it, i just pull out a small amount, skin it, and sprinkle it with garlic salt and eat it like that on sandwiches or for breakfast with eggs and/or roasted potatoes. you can chop it up and eat it mixed with regetables or rice. as mentioned, green chili stew is really popular in new mexico. it's just a basic potato stew with lots of green chili. here in texas, you have a king ranch chicken that you can use it in. you can use it for chili rellenos (my father's favorite). use it wherever you want, really. just play, and mix the flavor with the flavors of other foods.

as for what it's about, i can see how it looks like it has sort of a cult following. i think it's just really a part of the identity of new mexicans. it's involved with so many memories and food is such a basic part of our lives. combine that with the fact that it's hard to get it anywhere outside of new mexico, and, therefore, you really associate it with that place. it may not be the best food on the planet, but i really like it, and if i can get it, i do. i lived on the east coast for years, and went without it (except when my aunts would sent it) so it's a real treat now that i can get it again.

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I have a recipe for a creamy poblano sauce, and I will just substitute Hatch for poblanos. It would be great over a grilled chicken breast, chicken enchiladas, chili relleños, etc., and it’s a great pepper to use in making chili relleños.

I do a dish I call “Lazaña Verde” where I layer corn tortillas with cheese, chicken, green chilies and tomatilla sauce., pretty much like an enchilada casserole.

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half of what i got is for my mother. she's on the east coast and only has access to the canned stuff. what you do is freeze it after roasting (or blistering) it for use throughout the rest of the year. most of the time,after freezing it, i just pull out a small amount, skin it, and sprinkle it with garlic salt and eat it like that on sandwiches or for breakfast with eggs and/or roasted potatoes. you can chop it up and eat it mixed with regetables or rice. as mentioned, green chili stew is really popular in new mexico. it's just a basic potato stew with lots of green chili. here in texas, you have a king ranch chicken that you can use it in. you can use it for chili rellenos (my father's favorite). use it wherever you want, really. just play, and mix the flavor with the flavors of other foods.

as for what it's about, i can see how it looks like it has sort of a cult following. i think it's just really a part of the identity of new mexicans. it's involved with so many memories and food is such a basic part of our lives. combine that with the fact that it's hard to get it anywhere outside of new mexico, and, therefore, you really associate it with that place. it may not be the best food on the planet, but i really like it, and if i can get it, i do. i lived on the east coast for years, and went without it (except when my aunts would sent it) so it's a real treat now that i can get it again.

Most of the "Hatch" green chiles are grown right here in my town of Deming. We have the largest Chile processing plant in all of NM. "Hatch" has become a label, is put on the cans right here in town. That said, Hatch does celebrate annually with it's chile festival (not chili). All the markets here in town have large chile roasters in their parking lots, including Walmart. We never freeze them until we have taken the skin off. Roast, skin, freeze!

Good stuff and they do freeze beautifully.:)

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Moni, I have been talking with people from all around the country, and Hatch peppers seem to be readily available just about everywhere. So, I figured that the Greater Hatch Growing Area must have a 200-mile radius.

I buy into the Hatch phenomenon and extol their wonder even knowing, or believing that. But, the thing is, and at the least, Hatch (or whatever passes for Hatch) peppers are just as good if not better than Anaheim peppers. And for the cost of “Hatch” peppers, it’s still a great deal no matter what.

Actually, at $1.29/pound, Hatch peppers are a bit higher than they were last year due, I’m sure, to their popularity. That’s still a good deal. And you can find then occasionally for 99¢ at some places.

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Moni, I have been talking with people from all around the country, and Hatch peppers seem to be readily available just about everywhere. So, I figured that the Greater Hatch Growing Area must have a 200-mile radius.

I buy into the Hatch phenomenon and extol their wonder even knowing, or believing that. But, the thing is, and at the least, Hatch (or whatever passes for Hatch) peppers are just as good if not better than Anaheim peppers. And for the cost of “Hatch” peppers, it’s still a great deal no matter what.

Actually, at $1.29/pound, Hatch peppers are a bit higher than they were last year due, I’m sure, to their popularity. That’s still a good deal. And you can find then occasionally for 99¢ at some places.

You are right about the price! Today, Walmart had a 20lb box of green chiles for $19.99. We normally pay approx. $14.00 for 20 lbs. You can get, mild, medium, hot or hot hot. Oh yeah, we always get the hot hot, lol. That 20 dollar price is seems too high.

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Most of the "Hatch" green chiles are grown right here in my town of Deming. We have the largest Chile processing plant in all of NM. "Hatch" has become a label, is put on the cans right here in town. That said, Hatch does celebrate annually with it's chile festival (not chili). All the markets here in town have large chile roasters in their parking lots, including Walmart. We never freeze them until we have taken the skin off. Roast, skin, freeze!

Good stuff and they do freeze beautifully.smile.gif

we always skin after freezing. maybe people just do it differently.

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  • 6 years later...
2 hours ago, gene said:

yeah this is crazy!!! cant imagine this place being in bigger but wowsa!!! i cant wait as i go here fairly often! 

 

I go there biweekly too! Amazing news!

 

Hopefully the remodel doesn't mess up (current) parking or ease of shopping.

 

Go Central Market!!

 

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yeah its definitely a mystery how they will expand but im all for it...and i hope it gets more of that Austin Whole Foods 6th street vibe...i do love coming here on the weekends for the music and the burgers btw...so yep, yay central market ;) !

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that would be awesome but im talking about where in the heck are they putting 10,000 sq ft of actual store space unless you are saying they will take that existing seated space and make that store, then extend outdoor seating towards westheimer...then even better question are they going to smartly build a parking garage somehow, someway? maybe above the store haha!? 

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Noticed a few things this morning while grocery shopping.  They (temporarily?) moved the lotion area in the Health & Beauty department. The left over shelving is old and gross! Surely these will go once the remodel furnishings take place? Hopefully they don't skimp on the budget for new shelving.  I understand once products hit the shelves again, the stains will hardly be noticeable, but they are still old and gross.

 

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They have a sign near the entry way about their $10 million renovation. This is the most official statement I've seen to date. Couldn't find a press release 5 days ago. Just the media outlets reporting it.

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I asked customer service the plans. She said the work will begin next weekend! The staff has known about the potential remodel for a 6 months but they were just told official details this past week. It was out of nowhere she said.

 

Spoke to another partner today. They mentioned it would be nice for the $10 million to trickle down into the wages of the employees. No pay increases or bonuses were given, (yet.)

 

Another partner was kind of criticizing the huge money investment. Saying Central Market could have opened 2+ more stores with $10 million.

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By the way, I used to work for an architecture firm near the Galleria.  I signed up to HAIF when I was employed with them.  It's been 6 years since I left the firm and I can't remember my registration email I used when creating my (original) account.  I probably used the company's email? Probably cannot retrieve my account information then. I'm not a complete noobie :P

 

I go to CM biweekly. Healthy eating and architecture are hobbies of mine so I'll be covering this thread a lot. Cheers!

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  • 2 weeks later...

The most recent Houston Business Journal featured a story on the remodel.

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The (current) CM with a building rising in the background.  I'm not sure what building it is though. Probably one of those rising residential towers off of the West Loop? The Wilshire at River Oaks District? The Arabella? Any insight would be helpful!

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Construction indeed started this past weekend! A section of the parking lot near Westheimer Road is blocked off.

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A construction tag on the barricade fence indicates that SpawGlass is the contractor.

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I also hope they remodel the bathrooms to be fully automated. Touching things in public bathrooms is gross :P

A basic H-E-B in Meyerland was just remodeled after last year's flood. The bathroom is now completely touchless.  It's all sensor activated. If H-E-B did it for that store, I'm sure CM's remodel will be so much better (or equivalent.)

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Hey thanks for the info about the Mid Lane project. Great news!

 

My weekly update:

 

Their wordage is always clever and perky!

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A new elevation render wraps the barricade. Again with their clever phrasing :P

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Energy bar area being worked on.

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Health & Beauty department.

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Spoke to a partner yesterday. Some news..

Health & Beauty department is taking over the floral refrigeration spot.

Beer & Wine department is getting low profile shelving.  Heard the low profile shelving has its positives and negatives.

The front of the store will be expanding 40' into the parking lot (if I understood that correctly.)

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