chi·pot·le [chi-poht-ley]*
n. A ripe jalapeño pepper that has been dried and smoked for use in cooking. American Spanish, from Nahuatl xipotli.
n. The latest Mexican flavor to explode on the American culinary scene.
Chipotle, the dark, smoky version of the ubiquitous jalapeño, is popping up on restaurant menus and in grocery store aisles across the country. Last year, Mintel Menu Insights reported that the chipotle pepper experienced a 15% growth on restaurant menus, and the trend shows no sign of stopping. Nearly every fast food chain offers a chipotle sandwich and just last week I sampled a chipotle flavored chip dip.
So what is it about chipotle that makes it so popular? For starters, it offers an approachable version of an exotic ingredient. It’s no secret that American tastes are changing, and stronger, bolder ethnic flavors are making their way onto restaurant and kitchen tables more each day.
Chipotle is also versatile. It can be used to spice up virtually any dish, from chicken to fish to vegetables. It lends a smooth yet rich, distinctive flavor whose heat factor can be dialed up or down.
The rise of the chipotle reminds me of another Mexican food, a condiment to be precise, that at one time must have seemed new and different to many people but today is more popular than ketchup: salsa.
Initially and still primarily consumed as a dip for tortilla chips, salsa is also used to add zing to burgers and other meats, even pasta dishes. Like chipotle, salsa can be mild or spicy, and mixes well with a variety of ingredients, hence the popularity of fruit-based salsas like peach, mango and raspberry.
Salsa is a fascinating case study in how Americans have embraced a Mexican food and made it their own. Many of the mild, chunky and fruity salsas on the market barely resemble their counterparts in Mexico, where most salsas are made spicy and thin.
When talking about the Hispanic market we make reference to the process of acculturation of immigrant groups whereby they gradually adopt a greater proportion of attitudes and behaviors of the dominant culture, but we seldom reference the phenomenon of adoption whereby customs and behaviors introduced by members of the immigrant community are adopted by the general population to one degree or another. The case of chipotle and salsa mirrors that of many others introduced by multiple immigrant groups during the history of the United States.
As chipotle gains in popularity, it will be interesting to see how it will change to suit American tastes, and what dishes it will be added to next. Now that salsa has paved the way for chipotle, anything is possible.
Have you ever seen a chipotle pepper? They’re ugly, and yet they’re so popular.
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* The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition.
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