Tex Mex Quotes

“Chili is one of those marvelous-simple, elemental, all-important, and fundamental concepts that has been elaborated out of all recognition: rather like justice, or objective reality, or ‘being’ (ens) in Aquinas. Lean closer and I will whisper to you a horrific, soul-shattering secret: there are actually people so lost to any sense of decency that they put beans in chili. (I hope you sent the children of tender years out of the room before we discussed that horror, lest they be warped for life).”
― Markham Shaw Pyle

“Just the right amount of cumin and oregano, I can tell," he adds, "and with that zing you got the chile peppers right on the button- three-alarm, I'd say."
"Plus paprika and Tabasco and guess what? Beer," I inform him. "But wanna know my real secret? A little bit of bitter chocolate."
"Chocolate!" he exclaims.
"Yep, chocolate."
"How much?" he asks real excited.
"That's my little secret, Mr. Dewitt," I tease him as I chuckle.
"Well, I'll be damned."
"I'm so glad it's not too soupy," Mrs. Dewitt says next. "Just thick enough."
"Masa harina?" he asks.
"My, my, Mr. Dewitt," I try to compliment him, "I can tell you do know your bowl o' red."
He finishes up the bowl and lets out this crude laugh. "Don't fix any myself, but I warned you, sister, you're dealing with real chiliheads around this house."
"So you've decided you like it without the beans?" I ask.
He wipes his mouth on the linen napkin like he's just eaten Russian caviar instead of plain old Texas chili. "Now, I ain't saying that by a long shot, Loretta, 'cause for me chili's not chili without beans. But I got an open mind, and besides, you say you also fix a big pot of pintos on the side?"
"Yeah, I do, spiced up with jalapeños."
"What else you serve with your chili?"
"Anything you want," I tell him in a real confident tone. "Guacamole, coleslaw, rice, tacos, sour cream, red pepper vinegar, and maybe some corn tortillas my Mexican helper makes- just tell me whatcha like.”
― James Villas, Hungry for Happiness