When it comes to the story of chili, tales and myths abound.
While many food historians agree that chili con carne is an American dish with Mexican roots, Mexicans are said to indignantly deny any association with the dish.
Enthusiasts of chili say one possible though far-fetched starting point comes from Sister Mary of Agreda, a Spanish nun in the early 1600s who never left her convent yet had out-of-body experiences in which her spirit was transported across the Atlantic to preach Christianity to the Indians. After one of the return trips, her spirit wrote down the first recipe for chili con carne: chili peppers, venison, onions, and tomatoes.
Another yarn goes that Canary Islanders who made their way to San Antonio as early as 1723, used local peppers and wild onions combined with various meats to create early chili combinations.
Most historians agree that the earliest written description of chili came from J.C. Clopper, who lived near Houston. While his description never mentions the word chili this is what he wrote of his visit to San Antonio in 1828: “When they [poor families of San Antonio] have to lay for
their meat in the market, a very little is made to suffice for the family; it is generally cut into a kind of hash with nearly as many peppers as there are pieces of meat–this is all stewed together.”
In the 1880s, a market in San Antonio started setting up chili stands from which chili or bowls o’red, as it was called, were sold by women who were called “chili queens.” A bowl o’red cost diners such as writer O. Henry and democratic presidential hopeful William Jennings Bryan ten cents and included bread and a glass of water. The fame of chili con carne began to spread and the dish soon became a major tourist attraction. It was featured at the World’s Fair in Chicago in 1893 at the San Antonio Chili Stand.
By the 20th century chili joints had made their debut in Texas and became familiar all over the west by the roaring ‘20s. In fact, by the end of that decade, there was hardly a town that didn’t have a chili parlour, which were often no more than a shed or a room with a counter and some stools. It’s been said that chili joints meant the difference between starvation and staying alive during the Great Depression since chili was cheap and crackers were free.
Chili & The President
U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson was a big chili lover. Hisfavoriterecipe became known as Pedernales River chili after the location of his Texas ranch. Johnson preferred venison, which is leaner to beef, probably due to doctor’s orders about his bad heart. Lady Bird Johnson, the First lady, had the recipe printed on cards to be mailed out because of the many thousands of requests the White Housereceived for it.
“Chili concocted outside of Texas is usually a weak, apologetic imitation of the real thing,” Johnson is quoted as saying. “One of the first things I do when I get home to Texas is to have a bowl of red. There is simply nothing better.”
In 1977, chili manufacturers in the state of Texas successfully lobbied the state legislature to have chili proclaimed the official “state food” of Texas “in recognition of the fact that the only real ‘bowl of red’ is that prepared by Texans.”
A LITTLE TRIVIA TO GO WITH YOUR CHILI….
A green chili pod has as much vitamin C as six oranges
Some cultures put chili powder in their shoes to keep their feet warm
The first chili cook-off took place in 1967 in Terlinga, Texas, a border town about 400 miles west of chili’s alleged birthplace, San Antonio. It ended in a tie between a native Texan and a New Yorker, but chili cook-offs are still held there today
Hot chili peppers burn caloriesby triggering a thermodynamic burn in the body, which speeds up the metabolism
Chili pepper color is a function of ripeness. Green peppers are usually not fully ripe and the same pepper could be green, yellow, orange, or red depending on its level of ripeness
The first documented recipe for chili con carne is dated September 2, 1519, according to Wikipedia
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FAQs
Food historians speculate that chili originated in Texas-Mexico border towns and spread north. In the 1880s San Antonio's downtown was famous for Hispanic outdoor vendors called "chili queens." At Chicago's 1893 World's Columbian Exposition Texas-style chili was popular, and at St.
Where did chili originally come from? ›
The modern dish we know as chili, also known as chili con carne (chili with meat), does appear to have roots in the American West, particularly the State of Texas. An old legend holds that immigrants from the Canary Islands brought a recipe for chili with them when they settled San Antonio in the early 1700s.
Why is chili called chilli? ›
Because chiles were new to the Spaniards, they took the name directly from Nahuatl (the language spoken by the Aztecs). Spaniards decided the word “chili” would mean “hot pepper,” because it reminded them of the spicy flavor of black pepper, which they were familiar with.
Who put beans in chili first? ›
But stories are spread that the beef was too valuable and was limited to be used as food on the cattle drive, so extra protein came from a pot of beans along side the chili pot. The cowboys then mixed the chili and beans together in a tin plate.
Is chili considered Mexican or Italian? ›
While many food historians agree that chili con carne is an American dish with Mexican roots, Mexicans are said to indignantly deny any association with the dish.
Why is Texas chili different? ›
What primarily distinguishes Texas chili from other chili recipes you might find is a lack of beans, but it also doesn't feature any tomatoes. It is, largely, a ground beef dish that's seasoned with a spicy chili paste made of dried peppers.
How did cowboys eat chili? ›
They were given the tougher, cheaper cuts of beef for their provisions, and would chop up this meat and simmer it with lots of hot chiles for a long time, until the meat became tender and was surrounded by a thick, spicy gravy. On the trail, there were no garnishes for chili.
Why do Americans call it chili? ›
The term 'chili' is short for 'chili con carne,' which translates from Spanish as chilies with meat. It's a simple phrase that most people misinterpret, placing more importance on the meat rather than the chilies.
What is a Chile vs chili? ›
In American English, chili is the most common spelling for the spicy peppers as well as the stew and hotdog topping. In British English the preferred spelling is chilli. In Spanish speaking countries and regions of the US, chile is the most common variant.
Why do Mexicans eat chilli? ›
* Some studies suggest that some chiles have medicinal properties that help rid the digestive system of parasites or bacteria. * Chiles add flavor to an otherwise bland diet of corn and beans. * Finally, many Mexicans explain their love of chile as a point of pride: machismo!
There's a little bit of sleight of hand going on in this, and it's not very deftly done, but the intent is clear: In Texas, it's not chili unless it's a bowl of red. The main rule of thumb is that it definitely cannot contain a filler of any kind, the most warned-against offender being beans.
Does Gordon Ramsay put beans in chili? ›
Gordon Ramsay's recipe for chili con carne includes onion, a red chili pepper, fresh tomatoes, and kidney beans. Ramsay's chili recipe is lengthy — it includes everything from ground cumin and sweet paprika to a cinnamon stick, ground beef or beef mince, and garlic.
Why does Texas chili have no beans? ›
No-beans side argue that beans distract your mouth from the beef and spices that chili is supposed to showcase. Texans in particular are likely to reject beans; in fact, the no-bean version is often referred to as Texas chili.
What do Mexicans eat with chili? ›
In Mexico, they make a green rice, using a long-grain variety flavoured with salsa verde. Paul also suggests trying an ancient grain such as quinoa or faro, as well as corn tortillas and condiments such as guacamole, salsas and sour cream. “Chilli con carne is very communal,” he says.
What is the chili capital of the world? ›
The Hatch Chile Festival is an annual event that occurs each Labor Day. This event attracts people worldwide to a place known as the chile capital of the world. The small town has accommodated up to 30,000 people for this event. This small farming community is known worldwide for raising renowned chiles.
Did Chile originate in Mexico? ›
Origins of cultivating chili peppers have been traced to east-central Mexico some 6,000 years ago, although, according to researchers at the University of California Berkeley in 2014, chili plants were first cultivated independently across different locations in the Americas including highland Peru and Bolivia, central ...
Is chili native to America? ›
Famously, peppers are native to the New World: Mexico or Central or South America, somewhere in that area is where they originated. Can you tell us a story of how they then got to the rest of the world? HAA: Columbus made a couple of visits to the New World.
Is chili originally from India? ›
But did you know that chillies did not originate in India? And India is one of the largest producers of chilli in the world today! Chilli was brought to India by Vasco-Da-Gama in the 16th Century, before which black pepper was the only source through which spices were incorporated into Indian cuisine.
Was chili invented in San Antonio? ›
This very popular dish did not originate in Mexico, but in San Antonio, Texas. Initially it was made of simple ingredients that were found locally. Meats, such as beef, venison, or bison were combined with wild onions and wild chili peppers.
