Happy Chili Day. Nearly two decades after my first (and last) encounter with Cincinnati chili, I decided it was time for a rediscovery. Turns out, I needed something comforting and blissfully low-frills — even if I went all in with a proper five-way: beans, onions, and a mini mountain of finely shredded Kerrygold English mild red cheddar. No oyster crackers though. Just because.

Happy National Chili Day and one cuppa Mexican chicken chili à la Soup Nazi to go with a second viewing of Licorice Pizza, please. I’d like to think I did some time traveling with the chili to an era I never existed in.

Texas Chili (according to the NYT anyway) which is eclectically composed of coffee, beer, chocolate, hot sauce and beans.

Yes, I get that the whole getup either looks like Mickey Mouse or a Qing dynasty concubine’s headgear.

Well, I got a little hungry and one couldn’t live on bread alone…

Spicy!