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Epicurean Kentuckian: Homemade Chili, Cincinnati style 2011-12-30 - Fortune Street Kitchen, Columbia, KY - Photo by Ed Waggener. Geniece Marcum and Linda made Chili last night as something of test to see if Old Time Improvisation would work: Could we make do with what was in the icebox and what we could get at the neighborhood store? We did it. And borrowing from my dad's method of getting invited to more meals, I have to say, as Dad would say, "It was the best I've ever eaten," and throw in Dad's clincher: It would take a premium at the fair. Of course Chili always elicits memories of the Great Columbia Mayor Coy Downey, at whose Inauguration the Columbia had the World's Biggest Chili Bowl, in the World Record Book of Guinnesses, and Coy would have said, "It's the best you ever put down your goozle pipe." But this was our improv Chili based on the way Ohioans and quasi Ohioans in Northern Kentucky eat it: Over spaghetti, 2-3-4-or 5 way. With a sauce with a little cocoa and a iittle cinnamon. Cincinnati style. All the ingrediments were in the larder and in the fridge except for spaghetti, and shredded cheese that I couldn't tell from Skyline or Gold Star. It was all done in a 5 minute walk from the Sav-a-lot, where, I believe, we could have assembled all the ingredients in 10 minutes, through the aisles and through the checkout. Brought back memories of Momma sending me to E. Campbell's store and days when K. Scott brought the Sav-a-lot's predecessor, Houchens to Columbia. Since Kellin Helm has taken over as manager there, the store has the same "feel," as it did back then. The chili was just right on a cold December night. It was topped off with a proper Sulphur Well dessert: Homemade biscuits and fried apples with butter. It was more proof that Thomas Wolfe was wrong. We can go home again. Downtown Columbia life can be much like it used to be and better: As soon as the City modernizes and greens traffic laws so I can run to the store in a golf cart. -ED WAGGENER Permalink | Comments?

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