Today’s quote – from Lorna Luft:

The one thing I never questioned about my Mother was whether she loved me.

Three Tips for Cooking Better Chili

Chili
Image: allrecipes.com

Since April 2016, Dr. Erol Onel has served as the vice president of Heron Therapeutics in La Jolla, California. There, he provides scientific leadership in various therapeutic areas while working with a team to get a new non-opioid drug approved. Outside of the office, Dr. Erol Onel loves to cook and, along with his wife, has won a cooking competition with his chili.

A good chili is a hearty, flavorful, and welcoming meal, especially in colder weather. These three tips will help make your next chili dish the best you have ever made.

1. Beans – When choosing between dried beans and canned, go for dried beans. They hold together better in the cooking process, where canned beans often turn to mush. Soak the dry beans overnight before cooking them in salted water, which will help keep the skin intact.

2. Blooming Spices – Whether you are using your own blend of chili powder or a store-bought variety, bloom it first to release its flavor and intensify the spices present. Blooming your spices simply entails cooking them in a pan with a bit of oil or butter.

3. Low and Slow – While you could follow a recipe promising quick and easy chili, it will not provide as rich a taste as slow-cooked chili. Instead of rushing, give your chili a couple of hours to simmer over low heat, which will allow your dish to draw out its most complex flavors.

Today’s quote – from Mitch Albom:

When death takes your Mother, it steals that word forever.

Today’s quote – from Honore de Balzac:

The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness.