> So, what is your favorite type of chili?

I tried white chili once and didn't care for it.

I also tried Cincinnati-style chili, which is made sweet with dark chocolate in the recipe. You can get that at Skyline and Gold Star Chili restaurants. I think Cincinnati-style chili is weird but okay; it's certainly not my favorite.

No, my favorite is red chili with a nice mix of pinto and kidney beans, ground beef, tomatoes, a few onion bits for flavor but not too many, and plenty of chili powder. No peppers please. I want it just spicy enough that it leaves a pleasant burning aftertaste; none of this burn-a-hole-to-china stuff please.

I will eat chili in a bowl with crackers and cheese. The cheese can be shredded, but I actually prefer it in small cubes for occasional bursts of cheesy flavor. It's got to be cheddar, or colby. Monterrey Jack is acceptable, but not the preferred cheese for chili. I will eat chili as a topping on a hot dog, and then the cheese has to be shredded. I also find chili delicious when it's poured over and mixed with rice, or (and this is really good and a trick I learned from the Scotsman) with Fritos corn chips in it. And chili does make a very good baked potato topping as well. I've not yet tried chili on spaghetti, but it sounds good and someday I will.

Gri"often asks for chili as a special birthday meal"shny