MEXICOONE PLATE AT A TIME WITH RICK BAYLESS
Episode 11: The Mysteries of Chili
By a campfire in the Mexican high-plains dessert, Rick invites us to join him as he searches for the origins of chili con carne. Is it Mexican or Southwestern? The stuff of cowboys or grandmothers? Chili begins with chiles, so Rick takes us from a chile field to a chile stall to his own garden to see how chiles are grown and dried. After a quick detour to examine a collection of fiery folk-art devils, we check out tamalestheir filling is, essentially a kind of chiliat a Mexico city tamleria and meet a Mexican grandmother for a lesson in making a slow-cooked stew that ends up looking quite familiar. Following that lead, Rick prepares
two sensational chilisone made with pork, the other with lamb and pasillasin his home kitchen for a cozy chili party with friends and family around the fireplace.