We’re honored to source these wildly special Chipotles from the Aquino Family in Misantla, Veracruz to highlight the crucial work they are doing with their community to preserve cultural traditions. Gabino and Minerva Aquino grow their Chiles as a part of a biodiverse Milpa crop system. These Chiles thrive in a lush tropical climate 305 meters above sea level, free of any pesticides and using only mist and rain as irrigation methods. With meticulous care, the Chiles are hand harvested and go through a traditional de-seeding process where expert capadoras and capadores delicately cut the Chiles to remove and save the seeds for the next growing cycle, preserving these crops year after year. Then, the Chiles are carefully smoked for 48 hours using local firewood in an earth oven built by Gabino. The result is a Chile rich with complexity, smoke, and fruit.
