At 01:57 PM 8/12/2005, Diana Tomchick wrote:
So my Black Bean Vegetarian Chili recipe isn't eligible for the contest?
There's an old saying that "Those who don't learn the lessons of the past are bound to repeat them." Diana, your's is a good introduction to some of the younger folks about the nature of chili and some of the hard-learned lessons of past chili cooks and chili eaters. I address them primarily:
Chili is an entity unto itself--almost holy in its own right. It was reputedly invented by the jailer in old San Antonio to feed to prisoners some time before Texicans ever thought about a revolution--maybe before there were even Texicans--Gringos that is. It very nearly resembles some native Mexican meat dishes such as carne asada and adobo--the latter more than the former, and surely has its origins there. But it isn't the same as either. Chili is a meat dish. The only recognizable (pieces large enough to be identified) vegetables allowed in it in order to be called "chili" without any modifiers (see below) are onions and chiles--green, red, or polka dot. Chiles, for those only now attending their first lesson, are capsicum peppers--of any sort; jalapenos, serranos, habaneros, pequines, tabascos, anchos, arbols, huajillas--they all apply. Most of them, before making chili, are dried and ground into a product called "ground chile" which is different from Chili Powder, which has spices mixed in with it. Chili is a mixture of meat, some type or mixture of ground chile, onions, and other spices--garlic, cumin & oregano, at least, among them. The main differences in chili come from the types and amounts of those ingredients used in the chili. That is chili--pure and simple. You can buy chili in the store, though it's probably not as good as that you can make. It's easy to make your selection; it says "CHILI" on the can--without any modifiers. Chili that has anything else of substance--again of a size which can be recognized--is not chili. It is "adulterated (fill in your own word) chili". "Chili with Beans" is adulterated chile. "Vegetarian Chili" is adulterated chili. Again, remember, it is not chili. It is something else; it is chili with something else added; it is adulterated chili--but it is not chili. Chili doesn't have that stuff in it. Adulterated chili is easy to recognize in the pot or in the store. In the pot it has chunks of stuff which are not meat mixed in with it, best described as either "chili with chunks of stuff that are not meat in it" or, simply, as "NOT CHILI", much as gin is "NOT WATER". In the store chili with chunks of stuff which are not meat mixed with it is usually identified as "Chili with Beans" or some other such item which, by definition, plainly identifies it as "NOT CHILI" or, simply, adulterated chili--no confusion there. And, too easy; a child can see the logic in it. All one has to do is remember this little analogy: There are no beans in "Chili". Chili with beans in it is "Chili with Beans;" chili with vegies in it is "Chili with Vegies;" chili with dog turds in it is "Chili with Dog Turds." But in no case is chili with any of that stuff in it "Chili." So, if you're gonna have a "Chili Cooking Contest", it must, necessarily be separate from the "Chili with Beans Cooking Contest" and the "Vegetarian Chili Cooking Contest" and other "Not Chili Cooking Contests." Although those may all be authentic things in their own right, perfectly edible, flavorful and nourishing, even more desirable to some folks than chili, they are just not comparable to Chili--any more than chocolate cake is. That the simple act of casual observation has not made that difference between "chili" and "not chili" blatantly obvious to even the basest of simpletons, much less the smidgeon of smart people, has always mystified me. (Don't take it too personally, I'm easily mystified, and most people are sufficiently smart.) It's like the difference between water and ice, a ball and a bat, a lap cat and a dead cat; the difference is not subtle. And in the end, I guess, it's not important. So why are you still reading this? Didn't you figure out a long time ago that this sort of opinionated ranting drivel of mine has nothing to do with eating chili the way you like it, whether it has dog turds in it or not? Put all you want in. I'm sure there are otherwise normal cavers that call chili with dog turds Chile and make no distinction between the two--probably because "that's the way my momma used to make it." Well, if that's all the reason you need, then call it whatever you like. Next thing you know people will be entering pickled watermelon in the chili cook off and nobody'll be able to refute their claim that it's not chili, will they? Are we gonna draw a line or not? Are we gonna have a Chili Cooking Contest or a Chili With Something Else in It Contest? Who's in charge here? When I had a hand a running TCR a few years ago we had only one rule: "We will have no other rules." Hopefully, that applies to chili contests as well. Of course your Black Bean Vegetarian Chili should be eligible for the Contest, Diana. Just be sure to label it as such so no one confuses it with Chili. We wouldn't want anyone confusing it with the Vegetarian Chili with Dog Turds cooks product either, now would we?
This could prove to be fun. I hope there's a good turnout for this event. I'm looking forward to having a spoonful of each--followed by a good slug of beer. See you there.
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