by Christine R. Toney $19.95 soft cover, 300 pages, illustrated The Magic of the Chilli - The Midwest History Chilli Cookbook is really two books in one. It tells the history of the development of commercial chili and chili cookoff competitions in the midwest and presents over 100 chili recipes. The Magic of the Chilli tells the story of the DeFrates clan and how they developed and commercialized two of the top chili brands in the country: ChilliMan and Ray's Brand. The stories make for easy and entertaining reading and include several humorous quips that are quite memorable. Plus, the accompanying historic photographs provide a unique view of the midwest and these chili entrepreneurs and cookoff masters. It also explains the origination of the curious "double L" spelling of chilli, used only in the midwest. While the stories and quips alone make this book interesting enough, author Christine Toney, the Missouri State Chili Cookoff Champion, doesn't stop there. She includes over 100 recipes for chili ranging from the world's championship winning recipes to recipes from St. Louis area home kitchens. With its spicy recipes and nostalgic stories, this cookbook can easily warm its way into every chili fan's heart and kitchen. |