Before we start the Quiz I want to have a quick talk about chili powder as we're starting to use it in the Course.
Like most of Mexican cuisine that crosses North of the Border, chili powder has become a watered down version of the real thing. Instead of ground dried chilis, you're getting ground chilis along with healthy doses of salt, cumin and probably a few other additions that you don't need in there.
Next time you're in the kitchen take a look at the ingredient list on your chili powder:
Most likely it's got quite a few unnecessary ingredients in it. So if you use these supermarket chili powders in a recipe like the Ground Beef Tacos then you are essentially doubling up on the salt and additional spices, and getting farther away from the authentic flavor of the ground chiles.
I think it's worth seeking out some chili powder that is just chili powder, with no other ingredients. Sometimes you'll find New Mexican or Chipotle chili powder in gourmet stores, but lately I've been heading straight to the source.
The Southwest produces gobs of chili peppers (and powders) on a yearly basis and there are plenty of merchants in the area that will gladly ship their products nationwide. Here's my latest batch:
That is some real deal chili powder and I use that crushed New Mexican chili powder all the time.
I can't list vendors in the Course, but you are welcome to email me and I will send you a list of vendor options. There's a Contact button on the top menu of Mexican Please that makes it convenient to send me an email.
At the very least, keep an eye out in your markets to see if there are any options to upgrade your chili powder. Trust me, it's worth it!
Okay, let's move on to the Quiz. Good luck!