As a bit of a food wanker, I can be a puris

t at times, and nothing says purist like ordering chillies in specifically for Mexican and southern American food.

Ancho - A sweet, almost caramel flavoured chilli originating from Mexico. The smell from the bag is that of a rich toffee, not much heat normally, however can have stupid amounts of heat.

Habanero - This one's the hot one. Rating between 2nd and 3rd on the scoville scale, this chilli sure packs a punch. With caramel and citrus undertones, this chilli can be a saviour of a Mexican dish if used correctly. I grow these fresh, but seeing as it's winter, I need to get them dried. Big warning, DO NOT buy these and attempt to be an hero. Last time someone did this in front of me they passed out and started vomiting. Needless to say, they were sick for days after just one.

Chipotle - Basically these are smoked Jalapeño chillies. I do buy them just dried, however for most applications canned in adobo sauce works out well. They have a mild heat, little to no sweetness of other chillies, and an amazing smoked aroma.

So there you have it, I use all three types of chilli in my Chilli con Carne (Chilli with Meat), and I feel it makes the dish delicious. If you do intend on using the Habaneros, I'd suggest having some dark chocolate on hand to help bring down the heat. I usually use 3 or 4 with about 2kg of meat (beef or goat) in my chilli, which adds quite a bit of heat, even with 1/2 a block of dark chocolate in it.

Anyway, I suggest using Monterey Mexican Foods to get these as Karen, whom I have dealt with, offers great customer service and will do the utmost to help you out.

Stay tuned for my Chilli con Carne recipe next week. I change it each time I make it, but you'll get a general idea of my style.