Chili

Maybe we need a whole thread just about chili.  I'll start:

I like mushrooms in mine.

Cheese man, cheese. 

I'm not nearly as uppity as some.  I like it with or without beans, and with many varieties of seasonings (just like I like my women).  You'd be surprised what a little rosemary sprinkled in while cooking will do.  Probably just pushed somebody's gag button out there. ;-)

Agree on the cheese, can't say about the rosemary.  Prefer with beans.  And just a few garbanzos.

Well, my vegetarian version uses mushrooms for texture, since tofu is for even lower species' of cattle.  That's the only kind I'll put beans in, which kind varies with mood and what's in the pantry.  Pinto, black, navy, usually.  Not partial to kidney, cannellini or especially garbanzos, they're just too big.  Back in my pre-purist days when I still combined meat and legumes, lamb with lentils got a good response.  Depending on who I wanted to offend, I called either it Kosher or Palestinean chili.  That's the version the Smith family ate at the LRT conclave in Rocky Mountain National Park back when the world was young (1997, I think -- Rylla was maybe nine then).

Cheese is something you add to chili after it's dished out -- cooking cheese in a mildly acidic environment really fucks up texture.

I'm not a big fan of rosemary (the herb), but it doesn't hurt.  Essential seasonings are chiles (well, duh), comino, garlic and mexican oregano.  If you can't get a supply of mexican oregano, it's better to use its cousin marjoram than the unrelated mediterranean oregano.  But www.penzeys.com has every seasoning you can think of and probably a lot you've never heard of.  (I'm a customer, not a tout -- got tired of wasting big bucks on tiny little McCormick jars at Shop-Rite).

Hi, y'all!

I know that you are all kidding and know that as in the ancient beer purity law (hops, malt, grain, and water) there is a chili purity code which calls for nothing but chiles, spices, a little masa, and beef.

Eat and drink what you like.

I'll stick with the good stuff!  An honest bowl of red is hard to come by anymore except at cook-offs.

Well, my vegetarian version uses mushrooms for texture, since tofu is for even lower species' of cattle. 

Feh, while I object to the idea of tofu being dissed as unfit for human consumption (now, are you referring to only vegetarians in western society, or are you also dissing Asian culture?), I don't think there are many vegetarians who'd actually put tofu in chili; it sounds ridiculous. Wrong color, wrong texture. I've seen pleanty recipes that call for TVP, though. I don't think I've tried chili with mushrooms.

I've tried to find a bowl of chili in Taos, and they don't seem to have any there.  But last week I had a perfectly acceptable one in Paris.

I did find a great bowl of red at the San Antonio Airport Hilton last week.  I know a hotel isn't where you might look, but then Karl Hess had a cafe at Mueller Airport in Austin supply the Goldwater campaign with chili in 1964.

And Chili's chili isn't bad.

If anyone is in the vicinity of Cincinnati Ohio stop off for some of the best chilli you've ever tasted at a fast food chain called
Gold Star Chilli.  I especially like the chilli dogs.  No kidding, they are great!!

Cincinnati chili does have a unique flavor.  Straight chili, but more sweet than spicy.   I taste some cinnamon in it.  The locals eat it on spaghetti.

Yes, Cincinnatti chili does indeed contain cinnamon.  The founder of the Skyline Chili chain was from Greece, where that is a popular seasoning for savory foods.  I tried it once (when I was in Columbus for LFScon).  It was gawdoffal.  There is historical data available at www.skylinechili.com if you care.

When I open my restaurant in New Hampshire, there will be pasta available for them as likes to have it under their chili.  There will be shaker bottles of cinnamon, as I will not add it to the stuff myself.

Cinnamon!!??! That sounds awful.  The beauty of chili for me is that there's so much variety but, Cinnamon!
We never make our's quite the same way twice but we always use peppers we grew ourselves and never, ever use beans.   

Cinnamon!!??! That sounds awful.  The beauty of chili for me is that there's so much variety but, Cinnamon!
We never make our's quite the same way twice but we always use peppers we grew ourselves and never, ever use beans.   

Three cheers for you!

  I don't remember ever having Skyline Chili and I don't know for sure what's in Gold Star but all I can say is that
if it does have cinnamon in it then at least taste it before you start critizing it.  I really do remember it as probably the best chili that I've ever tasted.