Mold Star Chili

Saturday was my night to cook and represent the United States for my roommates and some other friends, of course I can't represent the entire USA because it is so diverse, but I used my Kentucky and Cincinnati pride and represented my little part of the world. Shopping for the ingredients was a real trip, in part because the Russian-English dictionary doesn't have a lot of cooking terms, some things come differently in Russia, and some just don't exist-but thanks to Orlando's help I made due with what I had, made a few substitutions, and got what I needed. I made Cincinnati Chili: 3 ways! There seems to be no way of finding Cheddar Cheese in my part of Moscow, but the Russian guda(sp) cheese did OK. It all turned out pretty damn good, it tasted like Cincinnati Chili, a little on the spicy side, but it was really good; not quite Skyline, but definitely good enough to represent the dish and to even get a round of applause from all of the at first skeptical, but afterwards very satisfied eaters. Everybody loved it! They all said it was really good, and all went for second helpings. I felt very proud of both my work and of being from Cincinnati. I then followed the chili up with opening and sharing one of the bottles of Maker's Mark I had brought to be used as gifts (the other still will, but I figure my roommates needed some too. I figured bourbon was the perfect representative of Kentucky, especially some good bourbon. (It was the best bourbon I've ever tasted!) Overall I think they all really liked the bourbon, a few couldn't really handle it and had to cut it with water, but most talked about its “sour mash” (not with that term of course) taste, and it being really good. A few really wanted seconds, but there wasn't enough to go around. The chili and bourbon was so good that a couple of the people added KY and Cincinnati to their list of places to visit in America. It wasn't all fun for my friends though, they had to sit through my talk about Cincinnati and Kentucky history, about being split and lost between North and South, and all that shit. But overall I was really proud to be a Kentuckian from the South side of Cincinnati, I wanted to sing “My Old Kentucky Home,” and if I would have somehow just then heard it being sung before a Wildcat football game I probably would have cried. I wish I had me a KY flag. We definitely have our faults in the USA, KY, and Cincy, but being away and representing them really makes me respect them and want to change them for the better. I don't think we're done, just kinda lost and need to find our way; there are many good things about my home, and we need to work together to change the bad. Friends, we need to work to begin the change today. Register to vote, get your friends and family to register, ask them if they like what they see happening in our country and state: credit crises, corporate welfare, but no help for individuals, a falling dollar, imperialism etc... and get them to vote for Obama and Lunsford,and some progressive leadership in Frankfort, Columbus, and DC. Obama and the Democrats are far, far from perfect or even “progressive,” but they are better than the current status quo alternative, and after their election provide a better platform from which to work and build a New America. We need to educate. We need to campaign for progressives and even run for local offices ourselves, even if we don't win we spread the word and educate. The United States has always been a nation of advancement, ingenuity, and progress; together we can build a strong and prosperous nation in which children can do better than their parents, find meaningful employment after graduation, afford simple medical procedures and insurance, and attend college without the great specter of eternal debt hanging above their head. So eat some chili and sip some bourbon for me, remember your friends, who you are and where you are from: but never forget that you are no better than anyone else: Mexican, French, German, Iraqi or Chinese. We have but one world, and from our little part of it we must make the whole better. Sorry if you don't like political rants, I just see a fading light that doesn't need to expire; and if you disagree with my views, send me a link to your blog and we'll be even.