Chili is one of my favourite dishes. It’s perfect for a cold winter
day, and it’s easy to make. Chili is usually prepared with an assortment of
vegetables such as, peppers, celery, and onions; all cooked together with some
type of meat (usually ground beef), in a soup of tomato paste, beans, and
various spices. Over all it is usually considered to be a nutritious meal,
however, this can depend on how it is prepared. It’s a very versatile dish, and
most people make it to their liking, but there are plenty of recipes available
for someone who doesn’t have their own recipe, or has not created their own
yet. One of the best things about chili is just how customizable it is. I like
to put corn in mine, which is something I’ve never seen anyone else do. I do it
mainly just for the aesthetics and to use a filler ingredient, just to get an
extra serving or two out of the batch. The taste of corn is over powered by the
rest of the ingredients, but it’s my own personal touch. In most cases it is a
spicy dish, but just how spicy is up to the cook. The different varieties of
chili are endless.
The origins of Chili are not
exactly known. It’s rumoured that the Aztecs invented it, and supposedly cut up
Spanish invaders, then cooked them up in it and ate it. It’s also said to have
originated here in the United States in Laramie Texas sometime during the
nineteenth century. It can be purchased at some restaurants, but I think it’s
generally cooked at home because it’s considered to be a comfort food that evokes feelings of nostalgia. Wendy’s fast food chain sells it, and there is a
version that is a popular topping for hot-dogs and French fries. This chili
doesn’t contain tomatoes, instead it is made with ketchup, and there isn’t
usually any beans in it. Chili has a lot cultural significance too. Beans don’t
always appear in traditional chili either. According to the International Chili
Society, beans are not permitted in cook off chili. There are annual chili cook
offs held all over the United States. Participants have between
three and four hours to prepare their chili recipe from scratch. Judges then
rank the different soups from first to last place, putting emphasis on texture,
taste, smell, consistency, color, and blend of spices. For the last five years Pittsburgh has held
and annual chili cook off called Annual Five Alarm Mountain Madness Chili
Cook-Off.
Chili was popularized by cattle
drivers in the south west, using ingredients found along their way such as, wild
chilies, herbs such as oregano, wild garlic, and onions, cooked in with
fresh killed cattle, buffalo, jackrabbit, and even sometimes rattle snake. It’s
a food that captures the imagination with stories of its origin from the old west.
When it comes to wholesome American foods, chili is up there with the best of
them. As the International Chili Society says, “Chili cooks are probably as
creative with their stories as they are with their broth, but what can you
expect when you go through Texas asking questions about chili? It’s the home of
the tall tale”
Works
Cited:
"5th Annual Five Alarm Mountain Madness Chili Cook-Off |
Pittsburgh Beer
Calendar." Pittsburgh Beer Calendar. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 July
2014.
"International Chili Society." ICS. N.p., n.d. Web. 7
July 2014.
We put corn in ours too - colour and bulk. We don't make a meat one but use 2-3 types of beans, corn, sweet peppers and the secret ingredient..... a chunk of good quality dark chocolate as in 60%+. Really..... try it....... We may have to find that cookoff.
ReplyDeleteNever thought about putting chocolate in it. I guess if you don't make it spicy that would probably be a good addition.
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