Scenes from the war room...

[blitheringpooks]

08:27:30 ‹Chrysoula› chili is a form of stew!

08:40:26 ‹pooks› Do NOT call chili stew.

08:40:30 ‹pooks› EVER.

08:40:58 ‹pooks›

Comments

[blitheringpooks]

"General consensus dates its beginnings to the mid-1800s with Texas trail cooks who had to feed hungry cowboys on long trail drives, using whatever ingredients were on hand. That often meant beef (or buffalo, venison, or rattlesnake), chiles, and wild garlic, onion, and herbs. Inventive cooks discovered they could make nonperishable trail food by pounding together dried beef, fat, chile peppers, and salt. These "chili bricks" could be soaked in water during the day, and by dinnertime they could be boiled in water with garlic and cumin to make a hearty stew."

Okay they said stew. Aaarrrrgh! I hate being wrong!

That said, this explains why there are so many wars over chili. The original was a brick of dried meat and seasonings that got cooked on the trail.

Purists still say chili doesn't have beans or tomatoes. I like both. So yeah, there are chili cook-offs and chili wars, and lots of wonderful recipes. Some go so far away from the original that I would call them a chili-like stew rather than real chili, but there are two main factors in my mind. Does it taste good? And does it taste good to YOU?

Classic old school Texas chili pies, though. Those are awesome and through at least the second half of the 20th century and possibly longer were a staple of high school football games--especially when it was cold--and roller skating rinks.

Take a bag of fritos, open it across the top. Ladle in chili on top of the chips. Throw on some grated cheddar or monterrey jack or cojack cheese and chopped onions. Crunchy goodness.

These days I might even add a bit of sour cream and cilantro but those are new-fangled additions.

[chrysoula]

I prefer beanless chili but I do usually add tomatoes. I love sour cream and onions and cheddar as toppings. Mmmm chili. God damn. Maybe I'll make some while the mother in law is here. I guess if I used razzafrazzing ground turkey (ick) the husband could even eat it.