The chile powder you find in supermarkets - often old and stale, is a blend of black pepper, cumin, and various herbs and spices. Making your own is easy and results in a fresher, deeper flavor. Buy whole dried chile peppers (in book, she gives sources to order from) , remove the stem and seeds, and wash and dry them thoroughly. (Don't bother to seed them if you like a hotter powder.) Roast the peppers on a baking sheet in a 35O oven or toaster oven until you smell them, about 2 to 3 minutes-taking care not to leave them in too long, which will make them bitter. Then grind them in a spice or coffee grinder. You can make ancho chile powder or New Mexico chile powder-the varieties are virtually endless-or combine several chiles to make a custom blend.

Typos by Brenda Adams; mc post 4/14/97