We use only fresh peppers. As for dried I guess it would depend on what type you are looking for.
I'm sure there has to be a vendor out around LALA land. That has dried chiles.
Expensive. In bulk, International Food Source has dried orange Habs for about $8-9 per pound. Considering dried ones are 1/10th the weight of fresh, that's roughly 10 lbs for $8-9.
ask the guys at your favorite restaurant who the produce vendor is. chances are in LA that it's US Food. you'll have to have a business adress for them to deliver.
El Guapo is a spice vendor in LA that does a lot of dried peppers. Their competition is Mondando or something like that.
El Guapo is 6200 e slauson ave. in LA.
And just this week I found Penzey spices. It's a spice storefront franchise. wierd but I picked up some stuff I have paid too much for otherwise and I paid too much for salt, but I love fancy salts. http://www.penzeys.com/
I'm still buying them from the bulk dried pepper bins of my local mexican grocery.
Expensive. In bulk, International Food Source has dried orange Habs for about $8-9 per pound. Considering dried ones are 1/10th the weight of fresh, that's roughly 10 lbs for $8-9.
But...What if I'm looking for ripe serranos, not green ones? I don't think I can grow enough myself. By the time the green serrano peppers get ripe, they're 1/2 dried out.
Expensive. In bulk, International Food Source has dried orange Habs for about $8-9 per pound. Considering dried ones are 1/10th the weight of fresh, that's roughly 10 lbs for $8-9.