Oh, cumin and spice make a flavor
That's incredibly easy to savor
When consumed with a spoon
It is gone far too soon
But it's worth all the hours of labor
2020 is certainly one for the history books. I can’t remember a time in my life when every one of the over seven billion members of our species seemed to be this stressed out for this long *all at the same time*. These are undoubtedly the “interesting times” referred to in the perpetually misattributed curse.
Oh, cumin and spice make a flavor
That's incredibly easy to savor
When consumed with a spoon
It is gone far too soon
But it's worth all the hours of labor
Last week, I won a trophy for the spiciest chili for the third time in four years. It’s not a bad track record, and each year I feel as though my chili gets better. For those chili fans out there, I’ve decided to share a recipe that is similar to my competition chili. This is my personal favorite - a three bean chicken chili. If you decide to try it, I’d love to hear your feedback.
Ingredients
Protip: Use gloves when chopping up the peppers. I’m nearly immune to the effects of chili peppers, but the oil will soak into your skin, and no amount of washing it will remove it. Your hands may not hate you, but your eyes will for the next two days.
Protip: This will be spicy. If you prefer your chili less spicy, seed the peppers first. Alternately, experiment with other, less spicy, but equally tasty peppers.
Protip: For the love of all that’s holy, don’t buy pre-minced garlic in a jar. It’s a crime against the onion family.
Protip: Dried, ground spices keep for about three to six months in an airtight container in a dark cupboard. After that point, the essential oils dissipate, and your ground spices start to taste like dust. Throw them out and start over.
Also, when purchasing new spices, don’t buy from the normal spice aisle in the grocery store - the one that’s normally near the baked goods or the instant mashed potatoes. You’re paying about two to three times more than you should. Go to the ethnic/international aisle in the store. You’ll find the same quality spices for about half the price.
If you don’t have an ethnic/international aisle, find an equivalent store. They’re filled with wonderful spices for people who actually cook with spices on a regular basis.
Directions