[color:"brown"]"Chili" has as many meanings that apply to it just as "good lookin' " has different meanings when applied to women by different men.
What is one man's "delight" may be another man's poison... and vica-versa.
Since I was born 'n bred in the mid-west (Ohio), I like Chili WITH beans and ground beef & pork in a 2:1 ratio... and while I've tasted (and even "liked") Chili WITHOUT BEANS as well as Chili made with cubed beef that was also very good, I prefer my "Bowl-O-Red" WITH BEANS and ground meat.
Purists say that cubed meat is the ONLY true "Chili meat"... and from the standpoint of what kind of "meat" made up the first "Chili" which originated along the early cattle trails in Texas (not Mexico), the "Purists" are correct.
However, just because Chili using cubed meat was "original" doesn't mean Chili made with ground meat isn't "Chili"... or isn't REAL Chili just because some ingredient is added to or taken away from what is a man's favorite Bowl-O-Red.
That's the beauty of belonging to the "Brotherhood-of-Chili-Heads"... we declare our preferences and then, take a "stand" and argue among ourselves as to which recipe or method of making Chili is best when, in fact, each of us is using a difference set of "rules" in judging the Chili we like best.
But above all other things, the "beauty" of this situation is... we ALL love Chili, in one style or another, and would come together in TOTAL ALIGNMENT and set up a solid wall of defense if some nasty, person tried to pass a law against makin' Chili of any sort!
Easterners often add chopped green (sweet) peppers to their "Chili" (yuk!) rather than HOT green peppers or no green peppers at all... but, again, it depends so much on where you live or what part of the Country you claim as "home".
And so, let's allow peace to reign among us "Chili-Heads" and admit that if a man likes his Chili a certain way, and he's a "serious Chili-head"... then THAT is "good chili" for HIM! I.E., we need to RESPECT each other ENOUGH to admit that a grown man has earned the RIGHT to choose which chili he likes best without having his character maligned and his mother called vile names.
Ultimately, REMEMBER something! At least, we all LOVE "Chili"... and whether you believe it or not, there are SOME mis-informed folks who do NOT like "Chili" of any kind!!!
And so, let us "unite" against those poor, ignorant, mis-informed souls who can't or WON'T try "Chili" and remember...
"In numbers, there is STRENGTH!"
Strength & Honor...
Ron T.
