Friday, January 22, 2010

Still searching in darkness



In response to a recent question on the Blushing Hostess website, kind reader SLE requested I post the chili recipe from the above photo.

This is a long story which I will abridge before you all un-follow and move on to a riveting food site (if you find one, let me know). I lived in Texas for a while and chili is more of a cadence for me than a recipe. Some onion, some garlic, chunks of beef, seasoning, tomato, beef stock and or beer, beans. Not that this list, nor the cadence with which I make chili is anything to write to Texans about. I know good chili: I have been in the presence of some of the greats, but I am really a lackluster example of a mediocre chili maker and I am not pretending to the chili throne. And, there was this issue of a pregnancy addiction to Frito Pie which lead me down some very bad chili path's even in Texas. Consequently, I do not really have a taster for it any longer and do not pursue the prince of chili recipes. Not when in the Southwest right now, there are some fast gun chili makers already awake with Dutch oven being readied to make a world beater of a chili and I have only been able to reach a state of assuredness that mine is, at the very least, safe to consume.

But Josh wanted chili, and knowing full well I cannot touch his Mama's, was willing to tolerate my failings in this regard to get the chili above, which was just fine but nothing more.

So, if you have a chili recipe a Texan would be proud to call their own, kindly save my Husband future disappointment by sending it to me. A native Kansan will thank you heartily.

2 comments:

drfugawe said...

I'm sorry to disappoint, but I -like you- have always simply "built" my chili by inspiration rather than recipe - and I've always thought it was better than anything either commercial or in a restaurant. But I do think that any self respecting Texan may be offended at the idea of adding beans to his chili - I also think I remember that Texas chili must have "chunks" of meat - none of that ground up stuff in there.

Hope you're successful in your quest.
jm

Kerry Steele- Design du Monde said...

Who knew that chili recipes could ignite such furious opinions? I learned about that when I was much younger and I have a simple and probably incorrect way of making Texas chili using dried Anchos, garlic, onions and a tiny bit of tomato to pork and beef. I also live in the land of bad chili made with tons of stewed tomatoes, kidney beans and what appears to be a lot of water and I think sugar. Eeeew.