Respect the Chilpotle

One has to appreciate the efforts by Stand to add exotic spices to its otherwise boring American food. The Manhattan “fancy” burger joint not only offers its own homemade ketchup, but is now entering uncharted territory: the Chipolte.

But just to set the record straight: This delicious Mexican spice (chile) is actually called chilpotle in its native Mexico, which in náhuatl means nothing but “smoked chile.” It’s not chipolte, nor Chipotle (sorry, Mc Donald’s)… and it tastes good!

5 thoughts on “Respect the Chilpotle

  1. I found this link, because I was searching for “chilpotle”. I have a bottle of delicious hot sauce and it does say Salsa Chilpotle on the front label. I was wondering about the diferent spelling, but, now I know.
    Thank you!

  2. I’m a first generation Polish American and am disgusted and embarrassed at how quickly and easily the US bastardizes terms and phrases. CHILPOTLE is a perfect example. I was first delightfully exposed to it about fifteen years ago and in no time, the term was stupified to the variants mentioned above for no apparent reason. Funny, we accepted many other foreign terms of French, Italian, German and other origin. However this term is apparently outside our combined mental capacities. The fact that so many US tourists can’t understanding the disdain ushered towards them is quoted comical.

    With this said, chilpotles are a fantastic food product and I thank our brethren from down south for introducing it to us, and collectively beg forgiveness for the marketing morons in the US.

  3. Actually the word in Náhuatl is xipotli and is pronounced SHIPOTLI. Americans did not change the word. It has been spelled CHIPOTLE in Mexico for many decades. Chipotle is introduced to children in their candy. I lived in Mexico for many years and chipotle was always spelled chipotle.
    Only recently has Bufalo changed it’s label to Chilopotle. All of the other bona-fide mexican products spell it chipotle. 20 years ago it was pretty much unknown in American cuisine.

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