Chili: A Labor of Love

Chili ranks right up there with hot dogs, French fries, and apple pie, as far as representing American traditions. Most families have a chili chef, and the chef is often the man of the house. When I was growing up, my mother was the primary cook of the house. But when it came to making chili, my dad sauntered into the ring. You could almost hear John Wayne saying "Move over little lady, and let me show you how it is done."

Though Mexico seems a probable origin for chili, most historians think chili was not from Mexico at all. Instead, many food historians suspect Native Americans contributed the recipe, or at least the key ingredients. Early details about the origins of chili are in the form of legends and tales, making hard facts difficult to substantiate. It is known that in the late 1600's and early 1700's, colonists in and around the Alamo were cooking up kettles of the red stew. And those doing the cooking were women (surprise dad).

In the 19th century, there were plenty of warnings about eating chili. As with many other tasty foods, clergy members warned people that chili peppers were aphrodisiacs. Once that word hit the street, the popularity of the dish soared

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