Sunday, September 26, 2004

Farewell, Chili Man The Springfield Journal-Register today reports the passing of Chili Man Chili from the central Illinois scene. A business developed by Joe DeFrates in 1951, Chili Man was a popular canned food product made in Springfield until 1971, when the Milnot company bought the brand and moved the plant to Litchfield, IL. Now that plant is closing, 22 employees are out of work, and the company is moving its chili operation to Cokato, MN. Joe DeFrates was known as "Mr. Chili" because he won national and international chili cook-off awards. He learned the ropes from his father and uncle, Port and Ray DeFrates, who concocted their recipe in the 1920s. Ray took over the business, changed the name from Port's Chili to Ray's Brand Chili, and ran a successful operation until his death in 1961. Later his brand name passed to the Kelly Potato Chip company. Today the Ray's Brand is sold in nine Midwest states and through a web site, where you may read a full history of this living memorial to 1950s comfort food. Perhaps fewer of us may now digest a hot bowl of "grease 'n beans," but we might wish to inflict a case or two on our hearty descendants. One reminder: in Springfield, chili is spelled "chilli" for reasons that no one now recalls. 2:08:30 PM    comment []

© Copyright 2004 William Howarth. Last update: 10/2/04; 12:12:31 AM.