It was
September 2003, the eve of my little sister's birthday. She was living with us at the time, and my husband and I were
definitely on the poor end of the spectrum. It was my husband who came up with the concept of doing a hot dog bar to
celebrate on-the-cheap. And it was I who thought, well, then, we'll need some Coney Island chili to go with the dogs!
But I'd never made it. I'd never so much as tasted it.
So, naturally, I Googled. And I didn't find much. (Since then, however, Sandra Lee has cooked up her Semi-Homemade version - let's just say this isn't a recommended option.) What to do? My husband said he had the answer. He took me to Nick's Famous Coney Island, the hot dog joint legendary for its authentic New York-style chili here in Portland.
They wouldn't sell their chili a la carte, nor would they give me the recipe. So we ordered two hot dogs, and I tasted it slowly, savoring the spices and dissecting the dish in my mind. Soon, I knew what I needed to do.
And I went home, and cooked this chili. It quickly became the most-requested
recipe in my family's repertoire (with the possible exception of a few no-bake cookie recipes, but that's a story for
another day). It's good either on the stove or in a slow cooker; either way, though, I suggest you cook it for 2-4
hours total.
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