Chili Challenge

I have been noodling with a turkey chili recipe lately so Friday night I tried to coerce a few neighbors over to have some chow with me. Oddly enough another neighbor was making chili as well, Chilean chili to be exact. Naturally I suggested a chili throw down. Since my invitation went out late, there weren't many hungry neighbors left but Sam and Yuko came over even though they were full from their own dinners.

Sam and I each had a small bowl of turkey chili with some delicious cheese, Midnight Moon Goat, from Cyprus Grove, melted on top. I like to mess around with spice combinations so in this version I had salt, pepper, cumin, clove, paprika, cayenne, poblano and molasses. I meant to add thyme, but forgot!

Yuko came over with the bowl of Chilean chili that Marco had made. Marco is only Chilean whose cooking I have tasted so I don't know if it is a cultural thing to heavily salt or a Marco thing to heavily salt. Either way, I like salt. I was a bit daunted to taste Chilean chili. Did chili originate in Chile? Clearly you know why I would assume this? Is it the chili standard by which all other chili's are measured? Much to my surprise, It was not like any other chili I had ever had. It is a delicious, thick broth with beans, pumpkin, noodles and beef.

Sam was too full to try Marco's chili, and Yuko was too full to try mine, so I was the only one who had both. Obviously, no winner was declared for the chili challenge.