When I was a kid and my mom made what she called "chili," it was more like a soup with ground beef, beans, and - curses - spaghetti. Several years ago in Nashville we had a place called Empress Chili, which served "Cincinnati style chili." It was nice and thick and had cinnamon in it, and was often served over spaghetti. It was good. It was great on a hot dog.

I like beans, but I prefer them not in my chili. I don't presume to know what "real" chili is or is not, I only know the way I like it best. When my friend Vernell, who is fron Texas, makes chili, there's no tomatoes and no beans. When I make chili, I toss in a can of diced tomatoes, just because I happen to like them.