Too Long of a Title! My Chili Research Project.

Some of you are already aware that as a part of my fascination with Chili Con Carne, and my fascination with Capsicums, that I have begun a research project to learn as much as is humanly possible about Capsicums, their history, their first uses in food, and how they ended up as an integral part of Chili Con Carne.

Lately I've been reading. A LOT.

To start off with, there are three books that are considered by historians of Chili Con Carne to be the "Holy Triumvirate" of this topic, and they are as follows:

"With or Without Beans: Being a compendium to perpetrate the internationally- famous BOWL OF CHILI (Texas style) which occupies such an important place in modern civilization" (I kid you not that is the full title) by Joe E. Cooper, c.1952

"A Bowl of Red" by Frank X. Tolbert, c.1966 (I own the 1972 revised 4th printing, which is also autographed, confirmed by the author's daughter)

"The Great Chili Confrontation" by H. Allen Smith, c.1969 (I own a first printing of this)

I do not own the first and oldest book, and given its prohibitive price tag, it will be a while before I can get my hands on it.

I started out by reading H. Allen Smith's book as a perspective on the very first chili cookoff in the United States, and realized that while this book is anecdotal and full of letters and articles, it is rather biased in some areas, though it does have some good information, and some great recipes.

I recently finished reading "A Bowl of Red", and while I will write a more appropriate review later, know that for the chili-related sections of this book, my delving into the anthropology of chili has grown in several dimensions due to other books, periodicals, articles, and papers mentioned. In fact, I foresee there being a large dissertation-level paper being written by myself and perhaps a few others assisting me on the topic of:

The Etymology of Chili Con Carne: A Nutritional Anthropological Dissection of Chili, Chiles, Pre-Columbian, and Ancient African and Middle Eastern influences contributing to this dish from its earliest incarnations, to its modern adaptations and variations across The United States, and The World. (Title © Kimberle Andrews, May 28, 2013)

In the meantime, await a more thorough review of "A Bowl of Red", including comparisons to its counterpart by H. Allen Smith: The Great Chili Confrontation, and the character assassinations that take place in each book. Eventually, when I have read the entire triumvirate of "The Great Chili History Books" (meaning I will have read "With or Without Beans" (title abbreviated) by Joe E. Cooper, I will write a far larger cross-examination of chili history as portrayed in these books.

The task laid before me is enormous. Because now not only do I have to research Capsicums, which won't be as difficult as it could be, though I am trying to use as few internet sources as I can, I have to investigate Pre-Columbian food in the Americas, both north and south. There is some information regarding the country of Chile that suggests that the name of the country has to do with the introduction of Capsicums to the peoples of that region in a particular period of time, which will require its own research, and I have found a research partner for this who is a professional translator, who has also offered to help me with other international research aspects.

I also have to research the foods of the First Nations of southwestern North America and their contributions to the regions in which much of what we know as "Southern", "Southwestern", "Texan", "Tex-Mex", and "New Mexican" food, as well as "Sonoran" food. This includes a number of First Nations, ranging from those native to Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Louisiana, as well as the native Nations from Central America, including Mayan and Aztec influences, Northern Africa, The Middle East, Spain (as odd as that may seem), and last but not least (and likely not last, either, as I learn about more influences with each new piece of information I find) The Canary Islands.

I think I need to stop writing, as I'm starting to get too much into the material rather than inform you all of the monumental task before me. And to think, it all started with the desire to make the perfect, historically accurate bowl of Texas Chili.

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Incidentally, if anyone is looking to help me in this research project, I need a copy of the third book, mentioned above. It can be found at the following link, at the lowest price I have found it on the internet. If anyone is willing to get me a late Birthday Present or early Christmas Present, or very belated Wedding present or even an early Anniversary present, I would love to make this book my top priority, as literature goes:

With or Without Beans at AbeBooks

Thanks again everyone for reading, and as always, I hope you learned something new, and find my exploits in the culinary world something to keep reading about.

-Kim

Video Entry!! Making A Pot of TMI Chili!

Here you go, folks! Making A Pot of TMI Chili! :)

Enjoy!

-Kim

Not food related, this is a health update

Many references have been made to my health in past posts, here's the short of it:

I've been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. I've had a lot of my food stuff on hold while I try to learn what this means to my daily life, medically, financially, and in general. Here's an update from my most recent visit to the GP:

I was given Baclofen for my spasticity and muscle twitching, she changed how I take my Norco, and the bulk of my other meds remain the same, have Lunesta on hold in case I need it. No Neuro meds yet but here's why:

Overall:

My last MRI was enough to get me my clinical Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis, but there is still a lot that is unclear because my muscles were spazzing and I was moving around too much. She's ordered more MRIs, but we're taking things a little differently to get it done.

I have to get myself onto County Health Care. I am not sure how long it will take for that to happen, as I have to get my birth certificate from California. BUT, because my facility, HBHC, has a few other grants and things that will not only help me get my MRI covered, but will make certain it is an Open MRI this time, and that I get the proper sedation (putting me under to stop the muscle spasms), and they will also help me with the transportation to/from it. They will be going for a full with/without contrast Cervical, Thoracic, and Lumbar sets. Gonna be in there all day.

Also, with the ability to pull a few strings here and there, they're going to try to get me into Northwestern University Hospital to start off with, and once things are clearer, maybe move me to U of C for specialist care. Not sure yet.

Income:

Dr. is sending over a letter that will allow me to make an appointment at the Department of Human Services with the paralegal to get my SSI paperwork filled out until my clearer MRI's come in, and I can get the final paperwork for my SSDI. This is a fairly complicated process and could take quite a while. We have to take it one step at a time, and I have no idea how much SSI will offer me.

I am going back, hopefully sooner than my 2 week followup, to get the county care setup when my birth certificate arrives, so the MRI can get arranged. I also have a 2 week followup, as I mentioned, and see about some assistive devices for around the house, like a shower chair, etc.

This stuff goes on and on.

You may have seen the post I made a while back with regard to a fundraiser that I'm running to try to keep active during my medical work, and despite my diagnoses. Fighting Social Anxiety Disorder and Multiple Sclerosis is a challenge, but I choose to fight it with doing something I love: Cooking Chili.

While the fundraiser is about to hit its deadline, I will still be able to receive donations, and if you wish to help either by sharing or donating, you can go to one of two places:

https://www.facebook.com/TheChiliGames

https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/9UAZ4

While I'd love to ask everyone to donate, I know that is not possible for everyone, but sharing this fundraiser is something everyone can do, and with enough sharing, word will reach people who are able to donate.

Thanks again everyone, for keeping up, and helping as you can.

-Kim

A little more about Chili History: A teaser... and a little about upcoming entries.

Hi everyone!

Sorry to be so stingy on the entries lately, there's been a lot going on, and my health hasn't been the best. You may have heard more about that by seeing the fundraiser I'm running, but that is not what this post is about.

I may have stumbled across a small piece of chili history through a recent spontaneous purchase. I will tell you more once I have my sources verified and checked, but I am SUPER excited about it!

Another thing to come soon will be a post about one of my favourite local places called Yanni's Dogs; a local Chicago hot dog and burger place not far from my house. I wrote a review of it on Yelp, if you'd like to see it, you can go here: http://www.yelp.com/biz/yannis-dogs-chicago, but I want to give it some more attention here. One of my next couple of entries will be about them.

So! You have a few things to look forward to, and I hope you are as excited to hear about them as I am about to write them! Stay tuned, and stay hungry! :)

-Kim