Sell your products or services for free at LatinMerchant.com! Click here to learn more.

Ristras
Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a ristra?
   - A Ristra (pronounced as REES-TRA, the trill is optional), by definition is “a string on which foodstuffs, such as chilies, onions, or garlic, are threaded or tied for storage.” However, when you say the word, the thing that comes to mind is a string of dried peppers more than anything else. Originally, it’s from southwestern America. Before, ristras only had one color of pepper (usually red or green). We took the idea and made something even better!
    
2. Who makes them?
   - Our ristras are all artfully done by hand by a team of local craftspeople. Our store is actually the very first one to sell these works of art, and we still support the craftspeople who were the first to make them.
    
3. I just got the package. What's next?
   - Fresh ristras are shipped via 2 day air service so it gets from us to you within 3 days. It is very important that you take them out of the box and hang them up immediately. If you let fresh peppers stay inside a box for too long, much like any fruits and veggies, you trap their moisture and they go bad. Our boxes will be marked "PLEASE OPEN ASAP" so you don't have to worry about the recipient not knowing what to do with the box when they recieve it.
    
4. Are they edible?
   - Of course.If you want to eat the fresh peppers and garlics, you may. We do not spray them with any preservatives. If you want to eat the dry peppers of a ristra (that is from us), you can also do that. But be careful which ones you eat because sometimes some of them develop molds inside during the drying process. So, if you intend to eat a dry pepper from the string, break it open and check to see if the inside is clear before throwing it in a dish.
   
   We only recommend eating dry peppers that are not older than two years. After so long, they lose their good taste.
    
5. I just want to hang them as decor, what do i do? (care instructions)
   FRESH PEPPERS
   - If you want to hang a fresh pepper ristra as decor, make sure you hang it somewhere dry and not touching any surface (for example: one side against the wall). This is because you want air all around the string and you want to avoid bruising any of the peppers. You want to make sure it is somewhere dry because moisture is bad for for fresh peppers. If you keep them like that, they tend to last longer than and you have a better chance of successfully drying them out than if you don't. If you manage to dry a pepper string successfully, it can last for years as an ornament.
    
   If it is a wreath or another form of fresh pepper arrangement WITH a wooden backing, you can hang it up against a wall or lay it on some other surface (the wooden backing being the part in contact with the surface).
    
   DRY PEPPERS
   - Dry pepper strings and wreaths only have to be kept dry. You can hang them up against a wall or lay them flat on a table. It doesn't matter whether or not they have a wooden backing. Dry peppers are more fragile than fresh ones though, so refrain from handling them when it isn't necessary.
    
   GARLICS
   - Garlics need only to be kept dry. They don't get bruised if you lay them against a surface. When you try to let them dry out, sometimes some of them sprout a little bit. But it will eventually stop. Garlics become empty shells and they hold their shape. Handle dry garlics carefully to avoid squishing them. Much like dry peppers, they last for years as ornaments.
    
6. Won't the flowers wilt?
   - The types of flower we use are from a group known as "everlasting" which retain their shape and color long after they are dry. The most common kind that we use is the bushy statice which comes in different colors: white, purple, blue, yellow, and pink.
    
   Most, if not all of the ristra designs that we have come with flowers. If you want to purchase a custom made ristra, please call us to place your special order. Call (206) 223-9374.
    
7. I'd like to have one custom made. What do i do?
   - Our creative craftspeople can create a variety of designs. If you'd like to have one custom made for you, please call us to see if it can be done. Call (206) 223-9374.
    
8. Can you tell me more about shipping?
   - The standard shipping speed for fresh ristras is 2 days. We will ship a package containing fresh ristras at that speed unless you want us to have it go faster. Faster shipping costs more. If you'd like us to ship faster, please call to make your order. Please call (206) 223-9374. If you place your order online, we will automatically ship it the standard way.
    
   2 day air shipments come out Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays. If you'd like to specify a shipment date (still has to be a Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday if it's 2 day air), please call to place your order over the phone. Please call (206) 223-9374. If you place your order online, we will automatically ship as soon as we recieve the product(s) from our craftspeople.
    
   It is recommended that the recipient of the package is there on the day of delivery so that the box can be opened immediately.

… if you don’t find the answer you’re looking for here, you can call us at 1-206-223-9374 or contact us by email.

See our selection of Ristras.