Chile tornachile: the historic güero of viceregal cuisine

What is it?

Chile tornachile is a criollo variety of chile güero (yellowish green) that played a major role in Mexican cuisine from the 17th to the 19th century. Today it is little known, but its name appears in the most important recipe books of viceregal cuisine and independent Mexico as a basic ingredient of chiles en escabeche, pickles and stuffed chillies. It is a Capsicum annuum with an oval fruit, thick wall, pale yellow or yellow-green colour, with moderate heat of between 2,500 and 5,000 Scoville units. It is mainly grown in central Mexico (State of Mexico, Puebla, Tlaxcala) and in some areas of the Bajío. Although its domestic consumption has declined in favour of more commercial chillies such as the güero or the largo, it is still appreciated by traditional cooks and restaurateurs who champion historic New Spain cuisine.

Origin and history

The name 'tornachile' is specific to Mexican Spanish and is documented from the 17th century. Some linguists suggest it derives from the Nahuatl 'tonalchilli' (chilli of the sun) or from the verb to twist (torcer), due to the slightly wavy shape of the fruit. Its first major culinary mention is in the recipe book of the Convent of San Jerónimo (where Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz lived), and it reappears in the 'Nuevo cocinero mexicano' of 1858, where it features in recipes for chiles en vinagre, stuffed chillies and stews. Throughout the 19th century and the first half of the 20th, the tornachile was the chilli most used to prepare chiles en escabeche in central Mexico. The agricultural modernisation of the 20th century favoured higher-yielding varieties such as the commercial güero, partly displacing the tornachile, although small producers in Puebla and Tlaxcala continue to grow it as part of the national agricultural heritage.

Characteristic ingredients

Chile tornachile measures between 6 and 10 centimetres long and 3 to 4 wide. Its shape is elongated and slightly curved, with smooth, shiny skin and thick flesh that makes it ideal for pickling and stuffing without breaking. The colour ranges from pale yellow to light green when fresh, and ripens to an orange-yellow if left on the plant. It is a fleshy chilli, with moderate heat and a slightly sweet flavour reminiscent of European pepper. It is used mainly in traditional versions of chiles en escabeche with vinegar, herbs and vegetables from the Bajío and Tlaxcala. It also serves to be stuffed with cheese or picadillo, to accompany seafood in Veracruz or to season broths. Its close botanical relatives are chile güero, chile caribe and chile cera, all yellow variants of Capsicum annuum. CONABIO catalogues it as one of the vulnerable criollo varieties of the regional recipe book.

Cultural significance

Chile tornachile represents an important chapter of Mexican viceregal cuisine and is a living witness of the New Spain recipe book. It appears in convent recipes of the 17th century and in the cookbooks of the 19th, where it is cited alongside chile poblano, pasilla and ancho as one of the fundamental chillies of central Mexico. Although its consumption has declined, it persists as an identity ingredient in rural areas of Puebla, Tlaxcala and the State of Mexico, where some peasant families preserve criollo seeds. Culinary rescue initiatives such as the International Festival of Mexican Gastronomy have revalued the tornachile as a heritage ingredient. CONABIO and SINAREFI include it in their inventories of priority plant genetic resources for conservation. Its use in traditional cuisine restaurants such as El Mural de los Poblanos or Azul Histórico helps to spread it among new generations of diners and cooks.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between chile tornachile and chile güero?

Both are yellow chillies of the Capsicum annuum group, but the tornachile is an older criollo variety, with thicker walls and a slightly more curved shape than the modern commercial güero. The industrial güero is more uniform, elongated and widely used in tinned escabeches, while the tornachile lives on in traditional cooking and criollo family farming.

Is chile tornachile spicy?

It has moderate heat, between 2,500 and 5,000 Scoville units, equivalent to a mild jalapeño. Its flavour is sweeter and fleshier than spicy, which makes it a good chilli to stuff or pickle without overwhelming the palate. Its level of pungency varies according to cultivation and ripening on the plant.

How is chile tornachile prepared?

It is mainly used in traditional chiles en escabeche, Bajío pickles and simple stuffings with cheese or picadillo. It is also roasted on the comal to add to stews or broths. In historic New Spain cooking it was prepared stuffed with sweet meat, battered and bathed in tomato sauce, a recipe little known today but well documented.

Where does chile tornachile come from?

It is a Mexican criollo variety from the centre of the country, especially the State of Mexico, Puebla and Tlaxcala, with historical presence also in the Bajío. It is documented in recipe books from the 17th century and is considered one of the key criollo chillies of Mexican viceregal cuisine of the central plateau.