Chili - History of A Tex Mex Favorite
Over 200 years ago, reportedly in San Antonio, chili as Texans know it was bowl - the good ol' bowl of red. At this time, cowboys lived a life that did not adapt well to fresh foods or refrigeration. As with most cultures, they began to combine the most common local ingredients in various ways. Pork, beef, chiles, oregano and garlic became chili. This hearty meal had enough substance to fill and energize the active cowboy while tasting good enough to not be tiresome as a nightly meal. As cowboys moved further into North America on cattle drives, they shared this culinary discovery with new friends. Once the Great Depression the nation, small diners and families learned that chili ingredients were cheap to some by and stuck to their ribs. Some of these diners began to specialize in chili, serving it with crackers and ketchup. As America pulled herself from the Depression, chili began to evolve. No longer did chefs need to be skimpy with ingredients. Variations started including different beans, exotic or local meats, new spices and cheese. Some even ventured into white chili! In 1967, the traditional bowl of red came back with a passion when Terlingua, Texas hosted the first chili cookoff. Since that time, the chili cookoff has become an American institution. Today, all of these various renditions are considered chili. Each has it's origins in the same meat and chile mixture served on the cattle trail 200 years ago. Resources: From Vegetarian Cuisine RecipeGal, Tiffany Refior: Crockpot Chili Recipes From Southerfood RecipeGal, Diana Rattray: Chili Recipes and information
Images from Recipegal and ArtToday |
Chili is an All-American favorite inspired by Mexico's influence on the
Southwest.