Is Former President Obama's Chili a Winner?
Commander-in-Chef
Article: Is President Barack Obama America's Next Top Chef?
-- Parade (25 September 2011) |
|
Q: |
"Does President Obama cook?" — Megan Bartlett, Ladera Ranch, Calif. |
|
A: |
"Though his schedule doesn’t allow for much time in the kitchen, the president, 50, has been known to make a mean bowl of chili. Earlier this year, the first lady shared his recipe with PARADE. 'When we lived in Chicago, we loved to invite family and friends over to our house and make a batch together,' she said." |
Food Trivia Answer
In the "real" chili championship of the world, such as the one held at the Chili Appreciation Society International Chili Championship in Terlingua, Texas, President Obama's chili would be . . .
DISQUALIFIED.
According to Frank X. Tolbert, in the bible of chile, A Bowl of Red (Doubleday, 1972), "chili" contains no beans--hence the disqualification of President Obama's chile.
(see President Obama's recipe below)
Moreover, it was reported in A Bowl of Red that it is known that the Texas chili judges at the Terlingua Chili Appreciation Society International Chili Championship in Terlingua have not bothered to taste chili made by people not of Texas heritage and with no bio-physical claim to being from Texas.
Hence, Obama doesn't have a chance in Texas, so to speak.
Chili -- Katharyn Rodemann, TexasMonthly (April 2011)
(includes the recipe for championship chili queen Christine Knight’s Big Kahuna Chili, the Princess Edition)
How to Make Chili -- Andrea Valdez, TexasMonthly (January 2011)
Parade (25 September 2011) |
This Sunday's PARADE featured an exclusive interview with First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden on their new military families initiative. For more information on their interview, pick up the April 24 issue of PARADE magazine in your local newspaper and visit Parade.com/whitehouse.
The First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden shared with us their family's favorite recipes. On the menu: Obama Family Chili and Nana Biden's Chicken Parm. |
|
Parade (25 September 2011) |
"Obama Family Chili"
"I borrowed this recipe from my husband—it’s now the President’s Chili Recipe. When we lived in Chicago, we loved to invite our family and friends over to our house, make a batch of chili, and enjoy the evening together."
—Michelle Obama
Ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
Several cloves of garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb ground turkey or beef
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground oregano
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp ground basil
1 Tbsp chili powder
3 Tbsp red-wine vinegar
5-6 tomatoes, chopped
1 can red kidney beans
Directions:
1. Sauté onions, green pepper, and garlic in olive oil until soft.
2. Add ground meat and brown.
3. Combine spices, then add to ground meat.
4. Add red-wine vinegar.
5. Add tomatoes and let simmer until cooked down.
6. Add kidney beans; cook a few more minutes.
7. Serve over white or brown rice. Garnish with grated cheddar cheese, onions, and sour cream.
Serves 4-6
Get the other recipe |
|
A Chili Lover's Prayer
Lord, God, you know us old cowhands is forgetful. Sometimes, I can't even recollect what happened yestiddy. We is forgetful. We just know daylight and dark, summer, fall, winter, and spring. But I sure hope we don't never forget to thank You before we is about to eat a mess of good chili.
We don't know why, in Your wisdom, You been so doggone good to us. The heathen Chinese don't have no chili, ever. The Frenchmens is left out. The Rooshians don't know no more about chili than a hog does about a sidesaddle. Even the Meskins don't get a good whiff of it unless they stay around here.
Chili eaters is some of Your chosen people. We don't know why You so doggone good to us. But, Lord God, don't never think we ain't grateful for this chili we about to eat.
Amen -- A Bowl of Red, p. 180
|
Terlingua, Texas -- a panoramic view from TX Park Road
Wikipedia |