Solving the World's Problems One at a Time: With or Without Beans?

What started as a meaningless conversation, led to important discussion as my friend Dylan made the statement that chicken noodle soup is overrated.

I'm of the opinion that chicken noodle soup can't be overrated because it's not considered better than it is. It may be too common, but it's not overrated. No one thinks that shredded cheddar from a bag is the finest that cheese has to offer, but it's still used more than often than sliced Brie. The same goes for ground beef and prime steak.

The argument then became that chili is better than chicken noodle soup. I conceded that good chili beats good chicken noodle soup 10 times out of 10, no question. However, the popularity of chicken noodle soup resides in the fact that you know what you're getting. It's never going to disappoint. Never once in your life have you had chicken noodle soup and been truly surprised at the result, good or bad.

Chili on the other hand has way too much range. You can absolutely have a bowl of chili that changes your life, but you can just as easily have one that sends you to an early grave. This is the plight of chili. There are too many bad bowls out there for the good bowls to overcome. It's not a fair fight.

Here's where the discussion took a turn for academic. "What's your stance on beans?"

Being a champion of truth and justice, I of course was a non bean guy. I thought it common knowledge that authentic, original chili recipes do not include beans. Spirited debate ensued, and before long I was reading histories of chili. (Side note, there is an International Chili Society)

Here are the facts. The website lists two recipes for chili in the history neither include beans. The best defense of beans in chili can be summarized by saying, "It's what you want when you make it. You can put anything in there you want," which is the worst defense ever. It's that kind of thinking that landed goat cheese on pizza, forever ruining the perfect food. If we accept beans, where does it stop? Pretty soon nasty, disgusting (probably toxic for all we know) goat cheese will wind up in chili if we accept this thinking. Well not on my watch! I won't stand for this type of injustice.

When it comes to beans in chili, just say no because the truth is if you give an inch, the enemy will take a mile. #SaveRealChili