Artesanía Almazán |
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| Why string chiles? |  |
| Chile is a seasonal crop in the southwest and is harvested in the fall. Chile pods initially starts out green in color as do most fruits and vegetables. When the peppers are picked green, they are more perishable. They either have to be eaten right away or refrigerated. Green chiles can also be roasted and frozen for future use. If the peppers are not picked in the green stage, they will ripen and turn red in color. Red chile pods can be just as perishable as green chile pods. However, legend has it that early farmers discovered that if they strung the red chiles and allowed the air to circulate around them, the chiles would lose their moisture and dry. This drying process allowed the early farmers to preserve and store the chiles for use throughout the year. If a farmer placed a chile string by his front door, it meant he had a good harvest and neighbors were welcome. If there was no chile string by the front door, it meant there was not enough for sharing. There are two basic ways to string chile. Chile pods can be pierced through the stem with the use of string or wire. Or, the stems of the chile pods can be tied together in a weave fashion. Chile strings in the southwest are called "ristra(s)" or "sarta(s)". Both words are the Spanish equivalent of "string". So, why string chiles? It started as a form of food preservation. Today, a high percentage of the population who are not accustomed to their fire, prefer it as a southwestern decoration. Artesanía Almazán has taken these southwestern decorations into another dimension. |
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| What is the significance of garlic? |  |
| Garlic brings out the varied and opinionated nature in mankind. It has a long history of devotees, sacred rites, even gods and goddesses and restorative claims. Garlic has a complete range of responses: from avid consumption to avoidance by individuals, social classes and cultures; from old wives tales to clinical studies; from silliness to divine honors. Garlic is the largest and one of the oldest cultivated plants. Garlic is mentioned in Chinese, Greek and Babylonian sources as far back as two, three, and four thousand B.C. The origin of garlic was probably prehistoric. Garlic's written history focuses on medicinal uses and has a reputation as a purifying herb. The list of ailments it claims to cure is a long one and ranges from madness to coughs to wild animal bites to low libido. Today, garlic is considered by some as just a flavorful herb for cooking, others still use it for medicinal purposes, others consider it good luck, etc. The varied opinions continue. So, what is the significance of garlic? Whatever you believe it to be. We at Artesanía Almazán believe it makes a beautiful natural botanical decoration. |
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