Jumping From The Frying Pan

The temperature has been dropping all day here at the North Texas Pole and y'all know what that means doncha? It's time for the great Texas classic...Frito Chili Pie. I don't mean to brag...but...everything that goes into a chili pie is home grown and by that I mean born in Texas including the idea. For the unenlightened, I am here to be your guide into the back story of this culinary masterpiece!

There isn't a Texas cook worth their salt who doesn't have a secret chili ingredient...legends are made of 'em at cook-offs, but for true chili pie...kiddies...you gotta get your hands on a can of Wolf Brand Chili. (Time for a little history lesson kiddos, so don't go to sleep...there might be a test later. Just kidding...I just like to hear myself talk!)

Wolf Brand was the brain child of one Mr. Lyman Davis who in 1895 was serving his concoction on the trail to hungry cowboys. Word spread and he began selling it from a cart in 1924 on the downtown streets of Corsicana. It was so popular, he had to relocate production to an ice rink to keep up with demand. His pet wolf, Kaiser Bill, was the inspiration for the name...and the rest, as they say, is Texas history. One more little tidbit...when oil was found on his property, he sold the recipe and business to two local gentlemen. Some folks just have a knack for steppin' in it...don't they?

~Neighbor, how long has it been since you had a big, thick, steaming bowl of Wolf Brand Chili? Well that's too long!"

We can thank Daisy Doolin for Frito pie. Who is she you might ask? Well she just happened to be the mother of Elmer Davis of San Antonio who just happened to buy a recipe for fritos (Spanish for fried things) for...are you ready for this...$100! Armed with a ricer, he tweaked the recipe and voila...Fritos was born and a fortune was made! Yeppers...you can bet that other family wasn't too happy with their ancestor. Let's all give a standing O to Mr. Davis for giving us the first snack food. While we're at it, let's hear it for Daisy for hocking her wedding ring to loan her son the money to buy the recipe and for coming up with the idea for Frito Chili Pie in her kitchen to help sell the chips! (Lessons over...let's get down to eating!)

Like I said...you could use home made chili, but if you want to be an authentic Texan...do it my way! It's easier and downright man pleasin'! I ain't woofin' ya. Why do you think it's served at so many sporting events...hello? Did I happen to mention this is Cat Daddy's ultimate catnip? One bagful and he's putty in your hands...two and you're on your own sister!

First you get one of those little individual bags of Fritos (you know...the ones that say "serves 2" on the side...just who are they feeding....mice?), open it from the "serves 2" side, dump in the chili, add shredded cheese (while I would love to say the cheese is from Texas too...I won't, but I can't help but wonder why it's called Longhorn! Maybe I need to check to see if a longhorn cow can be milked!) and top it all off with onions. You could add sliced peppers for a little heat and maybe just a dab of sour cream, but please don't spoil it by adding exotic touches or even lettuce! It is what it is...just plain eating fun and best of all...no dirty bowls! The only thing that might enhance the flavor would be washing it down with an icy cold Dr Pepper and maybe cooling down your full tummy with a bowl of Blue Bell ice cream afterwards (another couple of Texas originals)!

Speaking of Texas originals, The Sweet Pea Bistro was just selected as 2010's "Best Salad" for their spinach salad AND Chef Jeff as "Best Looking...oops...I mean Best Chef" of the Upper East Side of Texas by County Line Magazine. How cool is this? I'm running with celebs! Right now Chef Jeff is cooking a unique take on hamburgers as an homage to Uncle Fletch, who came up with the idea for this sandwich back in the 1880's in...wait for it...Athens Texas. People...I cannot make this stuff up. Don't believe me...look it up at the McDonald's Hamburger University. You didn't think the Hamburgler came up with it did you?

All this bragging...I mean talk of food has made me hungry. Think I'll go and muncha, muncha, buncha Fritos!

Until later...Bon Appetit!