Customer Reviews

Chili Madness: Second Edition

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book came out in 1980 at the start of the Chili Craze. Contests were being held all over the US for best chili. Every weekend you could find a Chili Cook-off or Chili Tasting anywhere from hot-pepper-hating New England to 12-alarm-fire-chili-loving Texas. Even the Simpsons ended up doing a chili cook-off spoof (The Guatemalan Insanity Pepper episode is really great animation and very funny, too.)

I have made many of the chilis in the book, going so far as to buy the required chili pequenos, chili colorado and other special chilis in the recipes. Yes, they make a difference. And the book even has Cincinnati 5-Way Chili, which purists will scorn as "not REALLY chili" but which is addictive and great for guests who hate hot spices. (5-way chili is a slighty sweet, cinnamon spiced chili probably influenced by Middle-East immigrants in Cincinnati. It is served 2-way, 3-way or 5-way with onions, beans, cheese, and spaghetti. It's fun for kids, who can make up their own garnished dish.) The Texas Style hot chilis are really gorgeous. This is one of my all-time favorite books and I don't think in 20 years, anyone has really written a better book on chili than Jane Butel.

A key focus is that genuine clili gets it's main flavor from authentic "chiles." All the recipes appear to be excellent, however if you are a low-fat person, this is probaly not the book for you.

I've taken pride in my chili for 50 years. These are some of the BEST recipes I've ever tried. Kudos to Jane Butel Ginger Hamilton Westminster, Colorado

CHILI MADNESS, A PASSIONATE COOKBOOK BY JANE BUTEL, is as hot as a bowl of her chili. CHILI MADNESS contains more than 35 of the recipes for chili that she has collected. Each recipe has a little story about the source of the recipe. The book is red-hot reading.

Even more interesting than the recipes is "The Irresistible Passion" at the beginning of the book. This section contains:
· Origins of the Bowl of Blessedness, a fascinating historical account of the birth of chili
· Chili Makings, a primer with pictures of types of chiles, an explanation of preparation of chiles, and a discussion of other common chili ingredients
· Basic Training - Methods to Chili Madness, a basic chili cooking lesson
· Chili Cookoffs, essential information about the social skills of chili cooking contests
CHILI MADNESS is a classic that every American cook needs.

If you're anything like me, this book will change the face of your chili forever! I never knew that I was missing out on some of the basics of killer chili, and always assumed I was missing some 'secret ingredient'. My chili was decent, but this book has really helped me take it to the next level.

There is so much useful information about the chiles themselves the book would have been worth the modest price to me for the first section alone. From regional favorites to legendary recipes to interesting variations, for the beginning to intermediate chili cook this book is indispensable!

I bought two of these books for me and my brother. He had one before but lost it. I have tried several of the recipes along with the suggestion to use fresh or dried chile pods for the chili. Some of the best chili I ever had. Also got rave reviews from my family. If you and your family really like chili, I highly recommend this book.

I had the first edition of this book and it was loaded with Chili recipes, I made almost every one of them. It was a nice suprise to see recipes other then Chili recipes in the 2nd edition. Great book for the price.

I can't imagine a better chile recipe book than this one, covering chile history, lore, nomenclature, preparation... and of course, the stews themselves. Most of the chile recipes in this book are for red chile, so you might have to look elsewhere if you are looking for a large selection of strictly green chile formulas.

All of the chile recipes in this book are distinct and original with clever names and anecdotal information on their origins. My favorite is the Buzzard's Breath Chili which originally called for dried red ants and cigar ashes -- although these ingredients are no longer demanded in the actual recipe. You will find classic meat-and-bean recipes in this book; playful versions involving ingredients like chorizo, tequila, and chocolate; as well as popular deviants like Cincinnati chile, which purists scoff at while still stuffing their faces.

The conundrum of a book of chile recipes, of course, is that cooking chile tends to be an art of improvisation, or at least one in which every serious chile cook wants to have their own never-before-tasted, original chile creation. In any case, whether you want to stick to the tried-and-true recipes, or just get ideas for your own secret brew, Chili Madness will get your mouth burning in no time.

CHILE MADNESS is one of ten chili books I refer to when I want to make chili differently than the two recipes I usually use. We have chili a lot in our house and both my Dad and my Mama have their favorite ways of cooking it. I grew up with their recipes and I have documented them in one of my "Amazon So You'd Like to Guides" and I hope you take a look at it. Both recipes are delicious, but when you've had them as often as I've had 'em, you sort of yearn for something a bit different. So, once a week, usually on Saturdays, I break out these ten books and search for a chili recipe I either haven't tried, or one I haven't made in a long time. Of course, like all cooks, I fudge a bit with the ingredients, but not all that much. I like to stick pretty close to the recipes, at least the first few times I make it, so I can get an idea of what the writer/recipe maker had intended.

And let me tell you, you'd be surprised at the subtleties there are in a chili recipe. As they say, no two chile recipes were created equal, but the recipes in Chili Madness have never let me down. I've got a lot of chili books, have tried a lot of recipes over the years, but the recipes here, like the recipes in my other nine fave books, have been consistently good. You can't go wrong with CHILE MADNESS.

Before you buy make sure you get the correct version. Whilst the 2nd version is ok, it goes too far beyond chili, I mean you have typed CHILI into the search engine and looked up this particular book right? The 2nd edition has too many supplementary things when all you need as a side for chili is rice, chopped onions/tomatoes and a nice cold drink.

I really enjoy this book as it is simple and whilst slow, a great winter warmer. And everything tastes nicer the next day so keep that in moind when making a big batch! i have the 1st ed which only has the chili recipes and nothing else, its a nice small softcover book which takes up not much room and gives me chili and nothing else. Great book.