Recently departed movie legend Elizabeth Taylor was a woman of many obvious passions - glamorous companionship, AIDS activism, wedding receptions. Perhaps most undersung of them? Chili.
The passage above is taken from Kitty Kelly's 1982 biography "Elizabeth Taylor: The Last Star," and while the nature of the author's work is often condemned as scurrilous at best, it would seem she was dead-on about the chili fixation.
Want a taste of Chasen's chili? The restaurant, which had been located on Beverly Boulevard, shuttered in 1997, but What's Cooking America managed to nab the recipe from "Chasen's Where Hollywood Dined: Recipes and Memories," published the previous year.
Make Chasen's Famous Chili and cap it off with an apple martini and a shot of tequila. Liz did love them so.
Previously – Chilly weather means chili weather and Lunchtime poll – your chili preferences (and the "false hunger" of Jim Backus)
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Here's a similar chili (using both pork and beef) that's meat only, if you want something that won't get you yelled at by Texans...
http://mantestedrecipes.com/recipe/2360/v8-chili.aspx
She never tried my famous Venison chili.
Goodby to one of the greats. I usually shun chili with beans (that is, cooked with the beans) as being 'Yankee Chili' and not worthy of a true Texan's taste buds. However, I imagine that had I ever had the chance to sit down across from Miz Taylor (I don't believe I knew her well enough to call her Liz) I doubt that I would have noticed that the chili had beans in it. Or anything else for that matter. She was a mesmerizing actress, and the world is a poorer and dimmer place now that her liglht has gone out.
'
Chili Chat will miss Liz, she was a fellow chili lover.
May you rest in beans.
http://www.chili-chat.com
I bet she liked tossed salads, too.
.... and scrambled eggs!!!
Not only was Chasen's chili the best ever, so was their Hobo steak, cheese toast and the flambe martinis.
I sure do miss Chasen's. I had many wonderful and memorable meals there.
Fiona... your tone indicates intimate familiarity with snobbish affectation. Why should someone with Elizabeth Taylor's money and influence have her chili prepared by "any cook"? Jealous much?
Simple ingredients, all of which would be available all over the world, and could be prepared by any cook. I think having it shipped from the restaurant was nothing but a snobbish affectation. Ridiculous.
I love the recipe note that Chasen's used a "special" meat grinder for this. Yeah, right.
Elizabeth Taylor HATED being referred to as "Liz." She would not-so-politely correct anyone who made that error in her presence. Funny how so many writers today are using it to add a personal and familiar touch to their stories. Ironically, it just shows how little actual connection they had to Elizabeth. Godspeed Violet Eyes.
k....well....maybe we shouldn't get too interested in this chili if the chili's #1 fan died of congestive heart failure....
She was 79 years old and you think it was the only chili that did her in? SHE WAS 79 YEARS OLD. There was alot of life in those 79 years. Would that you are healthy enough to live that long.
As insensitive as you seem to be, you won't make it much past your current age of 15. If you live to your next birthday it's because someone didn't think you worth the effort it takes to kick your azz for chiming in with ignorant drivel like that.
Bravissimo My lady!
People said much the same thing about Colonel Sanders. Of course, he died at 90. Though Taylor was 11 years younger, it still beats the average!
MalaDee, who's the insensitive one? I didn't insult anybody. It was a stupid comment I left, but jeez.... grab a bowl of chili and chillll.
Texas Dave what do you use? Goulash up here is beef and noodles.
Beef & noodles is goulash??? I grew up in Illinois and we called it beef & noodles. Goulash was a mixture of hamburger with chili powder, red chili beans & chopped tomatoes. Good stuff!
Forgot the onions.
I've always had it as kind of a cross between chili and spaghetti with some sort of macaroni or manicotti noodles.
There needs to be an in depth article or maybe a lunchtime poll about goulash. It's among the most varied of dishes, second only to chili. Recipes for it are varied & plentiful and based on the culture in which the cook/chef was exposed. Passions for "the right way to prepare" it run a close parallel to chili.
A tomato-something is always a staple in goulash whether they're fresh, canned, stewed, or made into a paste. It's not just beef & noodles. T3chsupport's got the right idea.
It's raining and I forgot my goulash's!
Beans? That's Cinncinati style. We call that goulash.
Best chili I've ever had - it would be worth having it shipped across the world.
You can also have Colbert's Formula 401 shipped anywhere in the world. Need a case?
1/2 C butter? No wonder she liked it!
Flying in chili from Los Angeles to Europe? That's quite a craving.