One of the more head-scratching aspects of these resolutions (aside from the obvious cui bono) is the idea that a dish as hotly debated as chili could be accepted as a national food by anyone, let alone the fractious body of Congress. Despite the codification of different chili styles for chili cook-offs, people across the country engage in passionate arguments about not only the fundamental ingredients of the dish but also the literal spelling of its name. The same cannot be said of burgers and fries, pizza, or chicken breast.
And yet, perhaps these lawmakers were onto something way back when: If there’s anything that current events have shown us, Americans seem to be in agreement that America is great, just so long as it is an America run in the way they want. Regional attitudes about chili appear to be very much the same.
Thus, despite attempts on the parts of many, including the International Chili Society, to specifically define different styles of chili, there are far more than the three categories it allows into competition. Here’s a short list of the types that any aspiring chili expert should know.
