Chili con carne and where it comes from
It is now widely known that chili con carne is not Mexican. Although there is little proof of this, other than the fact you will not find chili con carne served in Mexico, or only in selected tourist spots. The real debate however; is where in Texas the actual chili con carne originated. Most records and rumors seem to suggest it originated in San Antonio; however no original recipe has ever been found and most is left to rumor and speculation.
According to an old Southwestern American Indian legend and tale (several modern writer have documented - or maybe just "passed along") it is said that the first recipe for chili con carne was put on paper in the 17th century by a beautiful nun, Sister Mary of Agreda of Spain. She was mysteriously known to the Indians of the Southwest United States as "La Dama de Azul," the lady in blue. Sister Mary would go into trances with her body lifeless for days. When she awoke from these trances, she said her spirit had been to a faraway land where she preached Christianity to savages and counseled them to seek out Spanish missionaries.
It is certain that Sister Mary never physically left Spain, yet Spanish missionaries and King Philip IV of Spain believed that she was the ghostly "La Dama de Azul" or "lady in blue" of Indian Legend. It is said that sister Mary wrote down the recipe for chili which called for venison or antelope meat, onions, tomatoes, and Chili peppers. There were no accounts of this ever recorded, so who knows?
Records were found by Everrette DeGolyer (1886-1956), a Dallas millionaire and a lover of chili, indicating that the first chili mix was concocted around 1850 by Texan adventurers and cowboys as a staple for hard times when traveling to and from California gold fields and around Texas. Needing hot grub, the trail cooks came up with a sort of stew. They pounded dried beef, fat, pepper, salt, and the Chili peppers together into stackable rectangles which could be easily dehydrated with boiling water. This amounted to "brick chili" or "chili bricks" that could be boiled in pots along the trail. DeGolyer said that chili should be called "chili a la Americano" because the term chili is generic in Mexico and simply means a hot pepper. He believed that chili con carne began as the "pemmican of the Southwest."
Residents of the Texas prisons in the mid to late 1800s also lay claim to the creation of chili. They say that the Texas version of bread and water (or gruel) was a stew of the cheapest available ingredients (tough beef that was hacked fine and chilies and spices that was boiled in water to an edible consistency). The "prisoner's plight" became a status symbol of the Texas prisons and the inmates used to rate jails on the quality of their chili. The Texas prison system made such good chili that freed inmates often wrote for the recipe, saying what they missed most after leaving was a really good bowl of chili.
Whether or not chili con carne was created by Spanish ghost, cowboys on the trail, or a group of prisoners; one thing is certain; chili con carne is truly American and part of American culture
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Chili Powder- Chili Seasoning
Chili Powder is just that, ground chilies, no other additives; whether it is a blend of chili's or just one individual chili. Chili seasoning however, is ground chilis with the addition of herbs and spices. These herbs and spices vary from cumin, oregano, paprika, cayenne, rosemary etc. Many variations can be found. It might be noted, you will not find cayenne or paprika in my chili seasonings.
Chili seasoning finds its beginning in 1894. And we can pay tribute to another German immigrant for an American invention. It is widely viewed that William Gebhardt created the first chili seasoning. In 1894 chilies were seasonal, only found during the summer harvest. Gebhardt however, wanted to serve his chili con carne year round.
He spent years developing his powder to serve in his café. In 1896" Gephardt's Eagle brand chili powder" was born. By 1899 his "Eagle chili powder" was trademarked.
His chili season is still sold today and remains unchanged since its invention.