Weblog Entry

After tasting some truly fantastic chili made by one of our most loyal members, I was inspired to simmer up some of my own. Currently, there’s a big pot of a scarily spicy concoction simmering away on my stove, and on a cold, rainy day like this I’m especially looking forward to some comfort food. Come fall, it seems like there’s chili everywhere you look. At some point it’s on every stove, at every potluck, and in every thermos. And with good reason! In it’s many incarnations, it can be hearty, inexpensive, healthy, spicy, wholesome, or even sweet. The beauty of chili is that no two pots need ever be the same. All you do is start with fantastic ingredients, and see where they take you. Coincidentally, The Market is overflowing with fantastic ingredients, such as:

• Meat. Some say it’s not true chili unless you start with roast. Others relish the convenience of ground beef. Some say you’re skimping on flavor unless you start with sausage. Yet others think as far outside the box as chicken. Whichever you prefer, local and pastured is definitely the way to go.

• Veggies. Even the most carnivorous of chilies requires a little plant life in the form of onions, garlic, and – be they sweet or spicy – peppers. But adventurous chefs knows there’s plenty of other vegetables that would be right at home in a pot of chili, vegetarian or not. Potentially tasty additions like eggplant, winter squash, and corn shouldn’t be overlooked.

• Spices. Let’s face it. Though a proportionally minor ingredient, spices are really the star of any chili. With that in mind, quality and freshness are paramount. So if the paprika in your spice cabinet was there when you moved in, and your chili powder is old enough to drive, consider browsing the Bulk Items section of The Market to update your most precious culinary weaponry, but do it before The Market closes, or come the next rainy day you might find yourself crying into a can of Hormel.

-Rebecca Wild
Program Manager

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