Bob's Chili

Now, I didn't make this chili myself, which is probably obvious by the box in the background.  Bob's Big Boy chili straight (no beans) with a side of fries was exactly what I ordered growing up every time we got to dine at Bob's fine establishment.  I have such fond memories of Bob's.  From the Big Boy himself proudly welcoming us in with his picked nose, to the fancy club sandwich toothpick someone must have shot through a straw into the cork ceiling, that place is full of sensory memories for me.  The best sensory memory, though, is their chili, in which I dipped my fries.  A mellow, greasy chili with NO BEANS, coating the fat french fry skewered onto my fork.  I can't even describe the flavor, but I know it when I taste it.

The last time I had that delicious flavor was about five years ago in Diamond Bar, at the Bob's Big boy there.  Recently, though, I took a road trip to Michigan with my friend Karla, and I discovered that they have Bob's Big Boy up there!  I was thrilled to go there for dinner on our way home, but my thrill ended in disappointment when my chili arrived at the table, looking like a chunky home-made chili, not the brown-orange and bumpy stuff of my memories.  So, so sad.

In my never-ending search for Bob's Big Boy chili, I have tried lots & lots of chili and chili fries--mostly at restaurants.  Sometimes I'll try a store brand.  I found this Four Star Beef Chili last night at HyVee in the meat department.  This is the closest I've tasted to Bob's and you can bet I will be purchasing this again.

The picture includes my home-made french fries, which I won't include a recipe for because it involves cutting potatoes and frying them.  Not much of a recipe, as far as I'm concerned.  This post is really just to commemorate Bob's and to celebrate my recent find.