The first soups that we were considered chili were made by the Mesoamericans. They might have only used chilies and meat, but it made for a very tasty meal. Around 200 years ago, a new generation of settlers started a new tradition. At different times during the day, often at dusk, women would come from their homes and set up stalls in the town plaza of San Antonio. These women were the chili queens. At times they were like ghosts, as their stalls only appeared on certain days, at certain times, for certain reasons. They were the backbone of the emerging Tex-Mex culture and fed everyone, from cowboy to tourist (NPR).
The chili stands of San Antonio were famous, and so were the chili queens. In 1894, the San Antonio Daily Express described "the ever attentive, always jolly, çhile queen.' They are 'good fellows'these çhile queens' and are able and willing to talk on any subject that may be named from love to law. As a general rule they are bright, bewitching creatures and put themselves to much trouble to please their too often rowdy customers..." These chili queens became famous for their stands and food. People would travel for miles to get their favorite chili. The Daily Express also said that "every class of people in every station and position in life who has come to this city visit the places (chili) stands) and partake of the piquant eatables..." Some of the chili queens were so good that they earned enough money to set up shop in the front rooms of their homes. These cafes were called fondas. They later became full blown restaurants, and Tex-Mex was born (Walsh 45-7).
Lady Bird Johnson's Pedernales Chili:
4 pounds chili meat (beef chuck ground through the chili plae of a meat grinder or cut into 1/4-inch dice)
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 cups canned whole tomatoes and their liquid
2 to 6 generous dashes of liquid hot sauce
Salt
Sauté the meat, onion, and galric in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook until lightly colored. Add the oregano, cumin, chili powder, tomatoes, hot sauce, and 2 cups hot water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for about 1 hour. Skim off the fat while cooking. Salt to taste.
When I made this recipe, it was super hot. While I enjoyed it, my other taste testers said it was good as long as they had a glass of water close by. I had to add a little extra water to cover all the meat but this recipe was delicious! One person said after their taste buds calmed down, it was really pretty good." Coming from him, that was a huge compliment to the food. Lady Bird Johnson was known to have made a mean pot of chili and her recipe here proves that. During the ranch era, the Dutch oven was introduced to the settlers and it allowed the cooks to brown the meat before adding it to the chili. It improved both the color and the flavor, which made the classic recipes even better. One can still make a more traditional just chile and meat chili where one doesn't brown the meat but over time Tex-Mex has evolved to embrace the new techniques.
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