Could someone clue me in as to why people in Cincinnati think they are in the chile capital of the world?!

Could someone clue me in as to why people in Cincinnati think they are in the chile capital of the world?

Have they never heard of Texas? They DO make a bit of chile there too.......

21 minutes ago
Responders: Thanks for the answers. I know what Cincinnati chili is etc. having sapled it "4 ways" while up there recently. I was looking as to WHY folks up there thought it was superior to real "Texas" Chili. Greek spices, cinnamon, and served on PASTA!? "Sweet" Chili? I about puked.... I guess it is just due to regional tastes, and evolution of a dish thru time and place. I still take issue with those who call Cincinnatti the world's Chili capital.

18 minutes ago
Oh yeah, one more thing - "Real" Chili has no beans or tomatoes....thanks...

I'm from the Texas coast and have worked in the food industry for many years. If you mean CHILI the stew i can help. If you mean chile the pepper, then no.

Chili, like Apple Pie, is an American icon. And although you may think it is Mexican, it isn't. Chili, as we know it, is not served in Mexico except for areas that cater to tourists. When the Mexican people make "Chili con Carne" or "Chile con Carne" they are referring to a dish that is a soupy concoction laced with Chiles (the word for peppers) and chunks of meat, sometimes beef, sometimes goat.

"Chili concocted outside of Texas is usually a weak, apologetic imitation of the real thing. One of the first things I do when I get home to Texas is to have a bowl of red. There is simply nothing better."

Lyndon B. Johnson, 36th President of the United States

In 1890, DeWitt Clinton Pendery concocted the first known Chili Powder mix, which he called 'Chiltomaline' and it had its part in promoting and making western-style Chili as ubiquitous as it is today. His mix was a concoction of Chiles, Cumin, Oregano, and other spices.

Mr. Pendery arrived in Fort Worth, Texas after having traveled by horse-drawn stagecoach from Cincinnati, Ohio.

I have to wonder what would have happened had Mr. Pendery decided to remain in Cincinnati, Ohio, because Cincinnati is the Chili Capital of the United States and, likely, the world. The city has more Chili parlors per capita and square mileage than any known city on the continent. Perhaps all chili would be of the Tex-Mex heritage if Pendery had stayed there.

In 1922, a Macedonian immigrant, Tom Athanas Kiradjieff settled in Cincinnati with his brother, John. He opened a hot dog stand, which he named 'Empress' and sold hot dogs and Greek food. He did a lousy business because, at that time, the large majority of the inhabitants were of German heritage, and nobody in the area knew anything about Greek food, and weren't thrilled by it.

Tom was not to be defeated. He took a Greek stew, maintained the Mediterranean spices of Cinnamon and Cloves, changed the meat to ground beef, and added other spices, such as chili powder, to the mix and began to sell this stew over spaghetti and called it 'Chili.' It proved to be a successful experiment. He also came up with the idea of selling his Chili in 'ways', which is also unique to the area.

So there you have it, sorta, as a texan I make the chili recipe handed down from my family and modify it to taste.