Have you ever seen those long wreaths made from dozens dried red chiles? Long and slender like boney fingers they have a delicate country homestead feeling to them. Those chiles are more often than not de arbol chiles, and not only are they beautiful they’re delicious.

Used in décor and much as they are in cooking, de arbol chiles have a certain beauty to them as they retain their fire engine red color after drying. The tough woody stem has to be ripped out and discarded before use as they are totally inedible. In fact, the name “de arbol” means “treelike,” in Spanish.

These chiles are equal to cayenne in heat and have a slight red bell pepper flavor. These should be lightly toasted and then reconstituted in water for use (or broth, if you are making a soup or stew). Blended with salt, olive oil, parsley, lime zest, garlic, and cilantro it makes for a seductive chimichurri to pair with a grilled flank steak.