Ethnicity: ½ black, ¼ Mexican, ¼ Japanese

Spanish, English

18, Student

Houston, TX

23 April 28, 2011

Mexican Chili’ Recipe

5 whole tomatoes

Some salt

Ground beef 3 handfuls

Chile powder

Some Beans

Onions

Cayenne peppers

Splash of Beef broth

Splash of Chicken broth

Jalapeños

White pepper

Ground cumin

MSG

Red Pepper

Family Taco Seasonings

Tomato sauce

Peppers

This is Mai Ling’s mother’s recipe that has been in her family for years. There are no portions for the quantities but Mai Ling likes it that way because it feels more like a custom then a craft. This meal reminds Mai Ling of home and her Mexican heritage. She also says that her family has adds extra peppers to make her chili extra spicy. She maintains that her grandmother makes the recipe the best but after years of watching, Mai Ling feels confident in her own chili making skills. She said it’s a right of passage as a woman in her family to learn the recipe and pass it on.

This recipe is a great example of folk food culture. The recipe has now serving sizes or portions and Mai Ling said that this will be the first written record. A lot of Mexican families make chilis and develop family recipes to be passed down. Chili is a cheap delicious treat and this recipe is a good example of cooking from memory. Everyone in Mai Ling’s family knows the recipe and until you do, as a girl, you remain an outsider. While you are still learning you’re in a liminal stage where everyone watches and tries to help you. And lastly, once you can make the recipe yourself, you have succeeded and are accepted into the kitchen. Other places you see this is all over the American Southwest and in Mexico.

Tim Perille

18

1027 W. 34^th St. Los Angele CA