A long and circuitous route has finally brought Gran Luchito’s chipotle paste to the United States. Though it’s made in Mexico City, it has been sold first in England, then in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia for the past nine years, and only arrived stateside this fall. The dense, jammy condiment packs smoky heat with a whisper of sweetness to elevate all sorts of dishes — mix it with oil or melted butter to brush on shrimp before grilling. Fergus Chamberlain, who founded the company to fill a gap in the availability of Mexican products in many countries, started in a street market in London and now sells a range of tortillas, chips, salsas and condiments in stores and online. Americans, for now, can only try the chipotle paste.
Gran Luchito Chipotle Chili Paste, $19.99 for three 3.5-ounce jars, gran.luchito.com.
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