Tex Mex Books

“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