>>2284352Chili was originally intended as a preserved food you could take with you in the field, very popular with cowboys. It was essentially a dried brick you added to a pot of water to make chili con carne. Wolf brand chili was the first to sell canned chili, and still follows the original and most authentic recipe to this day. I know you can buy chili mixes as a dry powder, it would be interesting to know if you can still get it in brick form, and what, if any, advantages that has over canned chili in terms of shelf life, weight, bulk, convenience of cooking, etc.
Please note that chili corn carne was invented in San Antonio, Texas, and Texans are extremely purist in their interpretations of chili. Chili does not contain beans; if it has beans, it ceases to be chili con carne and becomes chili bean stew. Chili does not contain tomatoes. Chili is not watery, it is a spicy meat paste thickened with flour or corn meal. Chili most certainly does not contain cinnamon or go on top of spaghetti, and those yankee bastards who claim their abominations are chili are delusional liars. The only acceptable ways of consuming chili are in a bowl by itself (traditionally accompanied with corn bread, biscuits, or crackers), on top of a hot dog (chili dog, but made with real chili, not 'hot dog chili' made of beans), or on top of Frito's corn chips (Frito pie). If you present a Texan with some watery soup full of beans and tomatoes and call it chili, he is going to be offended. Chili is Serious Business with most Texans.
