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.