primitives discuss chili

[Ballygrl]

Okay, I'm not going to disagree with the husband; if he likes it, he likes it, and if he were a guest here, I'd be sure there were plenty of onions for him to chop and consume in his chili.

He'll get no sass from franksolich.

I love raw onions on food but not really crazy about it on my chili, although I have had chili-dogs and I like the raw onion on that.

[Chris_]

That gets rid of the juices though, but I have to admit that I'm guilty of doing it.

That's the first rule you learn when cooking in a restaurant.  Do. Not. Press. On. The. Burgers.  You can look, but don't touch.

I don't do it at home.  I prefer my burgers medium-well and will put a nice crusty sear on the outside and continue cooking them on a low heat until they're done.

[Chris_]

Okay, I'm not going to disagree with the husband; if he likes it, he likes it, and if he were a guest here, I'd be sure there were plenty of onions for him to chop and consume in his chili.

He'll get no sass from franksolich.

Red onions or white onions?

[franksolich]

Red onions or white onions?

If Ballygrl's husband were my guest, he'd get any color of onions he wants.

But me, I'm not touching them; if I want the flavor of onions, I got onion salt.

[NHSparky]

I absolutely LOVE chili.  Chili and tacos.  I can eat them 7 days a week.  One time I was working in Indiana and I saw a place called 'Skyline Chili' so I stopped in there.  The lady behind the counter asked me what I wanted and I was like "Uh ... Chili?"  She asked what kind and I said I didn't care I just wanted some chili.

They gave me a bowl of chili and it had SPAGHETTI in it!!!!!!  As soon as I saw that I started asking some questions like, can I just have a bowl of chili?  The lady went in the back and was gone awhile then came back and told me ALL their chili had spaghetti in it.  NO THANK YOU.

I made them take it back and I went somewhere else to eat.  I've since learned not only do they make their chili with spaghetti they put CINNAMON in it!!!  Oh the horror.

Glad I didn't eat that shit.

KC

Oh, I grant you, it's not a normal chili of mine, but I have had it, and I do enjoy it on occasion.  Cincy chili, 5-ways.  Mmmmm. 

Always be open to new things, Tex.

[Ballygrl]

If Ballygrl's husband were my guest, he'd get any color of onions he wants.

But me, I'm not touching them; if I want the flavor of onions, I got onion salt.

LOL, he wouldn't ask for onions in someone else's house unless he was asked if he wanted them, then depending on the food he would say yes or no.

Oh, and what a totally fun thread.

[NHSparky]

And we just finished dinner.  My chili, which I unfortunately didn't have presence of mind of which to take a picture, and cornbread.

Poor Scoobie, I mentioned putting syrup on the cornbread (or molasses, or honey) and she looked at me as if I asked her a completely inappropriate question in a very public venue.  But she learned, and enjoyed.

I only put about 1/3 of the cayenne pepper and none of the masa flour, and I let it slow cook all day.  Even the kids wanted seconds, and here they were, fearing the heat of it.

Silly children.

[GOBUCKS]

I absolutely LOVE chili.  Chili and tacos.  I can eat them 7 days a week.  One time I was working in Indiana and I saw a place called 'Skyline Chili' so I stopped in there.  The lady behind the counter asked me what I wanted and I was like "Uh ... Chili?"  She asked what kind and I said I didn't care I just wanted some chili.

They gave me a bowl of chili and it had SPAGHETTI in it!!!!!! 

Well, I'm  pretty sure they can sell you a bowl without spaghetti. It would  be like blasphemous, but it could be done. In a Cincinnati chili restaurant the chili is brewed in big crockpots separate from the spaghetti.

But Cincinnati chili, whether it's Gold Star, or Skyline, or Camp Washington Chili Parlor, isn't really chili. It's criticized by people who are expecting traditional chili, and that isn't what it is. It has cinnamon and I think some kind of chocolate flavor in it along with chili powder and other seasoning. The ground meat is cooked, maybe boiled, until it's a really fine texture. They call it chili because there's no other word that describes it any better.

On spaghetti, with finely shredded cheddar, kidney beans, and diced onions (on your menu as a 5-way), it is among the half-dozen best things on earth.

A perfect lunch is a 5-way and a cheese coney at Camp Washington Chili Parlor.

[Chris_]

Poor Scoobie, I mentioned putting syrup on the cornbread (or molasses, or honey) and she looked at me as if I asked her a completely inappropriate question in a very public venue.  But she learned, and enjoyed.

I grew up eating cornbread with sugar in it and never cared for it any other way.  (I mentioned my mom was British.  She's got no business cooking chili at all).  The honey idea sounds appealing. 

I've lived here most of my life and it was still funny watching the reaction of the transplants that moved down here from Michigan and were served cornbread sans sugar in the company cafeteria. 

[Ballygrl]

And we just finished dinner.  My chili, which I unfortunately didn't have presence of mind of which to take a picture, and cornbread.

Poor Scoobie, I mentioned putting syrup on the cornbread (or molasses, or honey) and she looked at me as if I asked her a completely inappropriate question in a very public venue.  But she learned, and enjoyed.

I only put about 1/3 of the cayenne pepper and none of the masa flour, and I let it slow cook all day.  Even the kids wanted seconds, and here they were, fearing the heat of it.

Silly children.

Awesome!

We have a place around here that makes homemade corn muffins and they mix butter and maple syrup together to put on it.

[Texacon]

Oh, I grant you, it's not a normal chili of mine, but I have had it, and I do enjoy it on occasion.  Cincy chili, 5-ways.  Mmmmm. 

Always be open to new things, Tex.

Oh I'm open but there are some things that are just .... sacred.  Chili and chocolate chip cookies are 2 of those things.  I won't eat a chocolate chip cookie that has anything other than cookie dough and chocolate chips.  Don't put any nuts or other contaminants in it.

Chili is kind of the same thing.

KC

[NHSparky]

Oh I'm open but there are some things that are just .... sacred.  Chili and chocolate chip cookies are 2 of those things.  I won't eat a chocolate chip cookie that has anything other than cookie dough and chocolate chips.  Don't put any nuts or other contaminants in it.

Chili is kind of the same thing.

KC

Chocolate chip cookies--that's a 10-page thread all on its own.

And yeah, I'll grant you that Cincy chili is chili in name only, but damned if it ain't good in its own way.

[IassaFTots]

Syrup on cornbread?????   

[Chris_]

it would have to be good syrup.  I would never put the Mobil1 synthetic stuff they sell now on cornbread.

[NHSparky]

Syrup on cornbread?????   

That was pretty much her reaction until she tried it.

[Chris_]

Oh I'm open but there are some things that are just .... sacred.  Chili and chocolate chip cookies are 2 of those things.

Mmmm, almonds.  Pecans are good.  Raisins are strictly for oatmeal cookies, though.  Anyone that puts a raisin in a chocolate chip cookie deserves a punch in the mouth.

[franksolich]

That was pretty much her reaction until she tried it.

It wouldn't be my piece of cake--I like cornbread with butter (real butter) and sour cream dripping all over it, myself--but in a way it makes sense, syrup on cornbread.  There's cornmeal pancakes, and one puts syrup on those.

So syrup on cornbread sounds well within the boundaries of "reasonable" and "compatible."

[Chris_]

I like cornbread with butter

Do the Amish live in Nebraska.  Those guys make the best butter.

[franksolich]

Do the Amish live in Nebraska.  Those guys make the best butter.

There's a few score, but there's many more up in South Dakota and down in Kansas.

Nebraska small town bankers don't care for the Amish, because the Amish never borrow money.

It's a pity, but that's what the Amish tell us, when looking around for new ground to settle.

[delilahmused]

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Whoa.

Wait a minute.

Onions in chili?

I suppose it's been done, but I myself have never seen such a thing.

Onion salt yes, but not onions.  

Chili's one of these common foods with substantial regional variations, and so I'm not faulting anyone's taste; whatever suits the area, the culture, and the era.

At the risk of being thoroughly thrashed (but I'm used to it, even more used to it than the Nebraska football team), I myself would never deign to combine chili and cheese.

I always put onions in my chili. And we put cheddar on top of it. Kinda like a chili dog without the hot dog and bun.

Cindie

[franksolich]

I always put onions in my chili. And we put cheddar on top of it. Kinda like a chili dog without the hot dog and bun.

Well, again, to each his own, madam, but as for myself, I wouldn't touch onions with a ten-foot primitive, and putting cheese on chili seems akin to putting Cream of Wheat on top of lasagna.

[thundley4]

No one eats canned chili?

[IassaFTots]

No one eats canned chili?

On occasion, but only Wolf Brand.

[Texacon]

On occasion, but only Wolf Brand.

Damn straight.  With no beans.

KC

[Rebel]

Oops, she put tomatoes in it.

For the tomato flavor, best to use tomato sauce or tomato paste, not tomatoes.

You don't like real tomatoes in Chili? That's why you're in Nebraska, and not down south.