International Connoisseurs of Green and Red Chile
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International Connoisseurs of Green and Red Chile (ICGRC) was an American organization created to promote the enjoyment of chili peppers. ICGRC was founded in Mesilla, New Mexico in 1973 and grew to have chapters throughout the United States and in 17 other countries. ICGRC provided information about how to grow chili peppers and how to use them in recipes. The organization was taken over by the Las Cruces Convention and Visitors Bureau in 1989.
The organization published a quarterly magazine called Chile Connoisseur News.[1] There were several chapters of the group and each chapter was headed by a Pod Father.[2] The president of the organization was known as the "Queso Grande" or "Big Cheese."[3] The chapters also had humorous names that often played on puns and gave out awards to members who were known as "Pod Fellows" or "Fellows of the Pod."[2][4] Members shared recipes, chili pepper seeds and propagation information.[5] There were four membership levels starting at the "Order of the Complete Coward" and culminating at the "Order of the Steel Stomach."[6]