The Modern Family star grew up in New Mexico (the Chile Capital of the World!) where the native green chiles find their way into everything from burgers to mac & cheese.

Jesse hasn’t lived in Albuquerque since high school, but he keeps his freezer full of New Mexico green (Hatch) chiles and green chile enchiladas are his forever favorite comfort food. 

The retired director of the Chile Pepper Institute tells host Rachel Belle about the history and migration of spicy peppers from the Americas to the rest of the world, which involves everything from bird poop to Christopher Columbus.  

Then Jesse tells us about his lunch with Weird Al at one of the country’s most woo-woo restaurants!

Thanks to Visit Kitsap Peninsula for sponsoring this episode!

Follow Rachel Belle on Instagram!

Watch Rachel's new TV show, The Nosh, on Cascade PBS!

Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.