Rose is Rose by Don Wimmer and Pat Brady for November 01, 2020

Call the Fire Dept.! There is going to be a four alarm fire at the Gumbo house in fifteen minutes or so.

It has always been my issue that “heat” and “flavor” are separate entities.

“Hot” is not necessarily flavorful. It’s just hot.

And for me, quite often, the “heat” masks any flavor the dish may have.

My Schwiegervater (whom I loved) would always “smother” everything with green chili, then ask me, “How does it taste?”

I’d say, “I have no idea. All I can taste is the green chili!”

HOT AND SPICY! THE WAY TO TURN ANY DISH INTO MYSTERY MEAT!

My motto used to be “if you’re not sweating, you’re not eating”.

For anyone else wondering Schwiegervater means father-in-law.

People who work for the company that make Pace Picante Sauce have said many men have bragged that they can eat Hot Picante Sauce right out of the bottle. But, when they were given actual samples of Mild, Medium and Hot Picante Sauce without them being labeled, they said the Hot was too hot for them.

In 1999, I moved to a new apartment. One of my very good internet friends sent me a $20 bill and a package of 2-Alarm Chili seasoning as a house warming gift. I upped it 1 alarm. I like good chili.

Shouldn’t have challenged Vicki, Jimbo! Now you’re going to end up paying for it!

OMG! We have chili cooking in the crockpot right now!

The best chili has flavor, and heat that sneaks up on you AFTER you’ve swallowed. Then it’s too late!

I’ve had to tune down the heat on my chili, those in my family can’t handle anything more than the mildest. That’s why there’s bottles of hot sauce to put on my serving.

Me with the pompom «Go, Vicky, Go!»

Even smelling spicy, hot food cooking makes blisters on my tongue!

You notice that he didn’t kiss her. He really didn’t like the chili…..

I once had a roommate who called himself a “flavor fanatic”. Translation: he overspiced everything.

Jimbo is gonna have a surprise at dinnertime.

The best chili is flavorful AND hot. It takes skill. With my chili, you get the flavor of the herb and spice mix, the flavor of the peppers and the meat, then you get the heat; the heat dissipates and you are left again with the flavor. The key is to eat the chili a few bites at a time, then cleanse the palate with bread or some other neutral agent that soaks up and removes the accumulated oils of chili from your tongue – the way acidic in wine removes the fat and oil when eating a rich dish. Of course, as will all good and spicy foods, sometime later that day or early the next morning, you feel the heat again.

Also, for true chili: NO BEANS ALLOWED! They are a condiment and may be served on the side as one of those neutral agents.

There are all sorts of “Chili” recipes – flavorful, hot, sweet, with all sorts of ingredients thrown in the pot. Just this past Friday Wisconsin Public Radio’s Central Time did a segment about Chili. https://www.wpr.org/listen/1716221

The chili I make is a flavorful meal in a bowl, with meat, veggies, including red and black beans, and a blend of spices. The longer it simmers the better it gets. For more carbs it can be served over spaghetti or macaroni.