Nearly everything about chili is controversial including
the spelling. The spelling, chili, is probably taken from
the Midwestern or Eastern spelling, which came from the
British chilley.
The chile spelling is Spanish and describes the pod and is
generally used to describe "chile" dishes in Mexican
cooking. As I stated in my Chili Madness book, "In this
book, which is written for all serious chili
lovers--"chiliheads" as they are known in the West--we are
using the "chili" spelling for the dish, the "chile:
spelling for the peppers, and "chili powder" for the
commerical premixed blends."
Chili is very popular in the United States and has been for
quite some time. As I stated in my Chili Madness book, one
of my very best sellers which I wrote in 1980 and was just
released in a revised and expanded format--"Whenever I meet
someone who does not consider chili a favorite dish, then
I've usually found someone who has never tasted good chili.
No other food has inspired the passionate following that
this dish has. I mean, I have yet to hear of a society
dedicated to the appreciation of cheesecake, or a newspaper
that deals solely with croissants, or renowned chefs
quarreling over the ingredients for chocolate mousse.
Yet chili has all of these elements--dedicated societies,
newspapers and quarrels, even a prayer--and much more.
Something in the personality of this bowl of fire gave
birth to an international cult movement. Chili lovers come
from every walk of life. Chili attracts truck drivers,
celebrities, doctors, lawyers, and schoolteachers. Rich
and poor undergo a Jekyll/Hyde-like transformation and
mild-mannered pillars of the community show no mercy when
the topic of conversation turns to controversial chili."
And the story goes on.....There are many contests--hundreds
of them to determine who can prepare the best bowl!
Chiles possess a magical substance--capsaicin, which is
what drives the craving. Since chili has a substantial
amount of chiles, no wonder all who try it most often "get
hooked".
Then secondly, chili can be made so very many
ways...creating controversy over just which is the best
way. With the endorphins driving the craving for chili--it
is probably not too amazing that there are myriads of ways
chili can be made and enjoyed.
Because, people create recipes or methods for making dishes
they like with ingredients that they have on hand and like.
They call on their backgrounds and countless other
influences.
Just to name a few of the variations, the Greek community
in Cincinnati gave us their famous chili. In Texas, chili
is almost always served without beans--beans are an
accompaniment, not an ingredient. In New Mexico, beef is
not as popular as pork and the chili has a great deal more
red chile in it.
One of the biggest disagreements comes from whether to put
beans in chili. Most chili competitions will not allow
beans. My Grandfather who was an executive with the Santa
Fe Railroad and got to know a number of the cookies who
cooked the trail for the cattle drives always said that the
beans came in as they went through Oklahoma.
You see, when they were driving the cattle to market, chili
was their main food three times a day. It was practical
and easy to serve and did not spoil when it was heated
three times a day. With chili containing a high percentage
of red chile--the world's best anti-oxidant, spoilage
prevention was better assured.
The reason for the addition of beans was that as they
neared the rail head in Dodge City, Kansas--sometimes the
chili in the pot was getting kind of thin or low and to
thin it out, they added beans. As they progressed into
Kansas-tomotoes were even added to bring back the red color.
So you see, if from Texas there were never any beans!!! In
fact, the Chili Anthem chants that fact in the song.
Chili, due to it's convenience was also served to the
school children, in the jails and to the Confederate Army
marching out of Texas. Actually the combination spice,
chili powder was invented by a German immigrant for this
army--his name was Gebhart. His chili powder is still
being sold.
Another interesting piece of history is that the School
Board in San Antonio, Texas, outlawed chili to be served in
their schools for about three decades due to the fact that
some of the Board members felt that if the soup was served
in the jails, it could be tainted. They called it the
soup of the devil.
To make award winning chili--
1. Always select a large heavy pot with straight sides and
a flat bottom. Forget the lid. Leaving the lid off allows
for the liquid to evaporate more quickly and for the
flavors to blend together better.
2. Always select the freshest and best quality
ingredients. Fresh pure chiles are much better than the
combination spice, which blends chiles with salt, and other
flavorings. Pure chiles can always be ordered from Pecos
Valley Spice Co., www.pecosvalley.com or by calling
1-800-473-8226.
3. Select good quality beef chuck for the meat if using
meat. For the best results, hand cut the beef into 1/2
inch cubes.
4. Always simmer chili for several hours to blend the
flavors. I think chili is best if made, cooled or frozen
a few hours up to a few months and then heated again to
serve.
----------------------------------------------------
Jane Butel, the first to write about Southwestern cooking,
has published 18 cookbooks, several being best sellers. She
operates a full-participation weekend and week long
vacation cooking school, an on-line school, a cooking club,
a monthly ezine, a mail-order spice, cookbook, Southwestern
product business and conducts culinary tours and
team-building classes.
http://www.janebutel.com , 1-800-473-8226
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