Good Food Down on the Farm

Back in 2008, we and a friend from Chicago decided to enter a local Chili Cook-off competition. She proposed a recipe calling for black beans that she had used. We entered this chili under the title of "Down-on-the-Farm Urban Chili" - tipping our hats to her as an urban girl, and us "down on the farm". I've had a jones going for some chili for a few weeks, so I dug out the recipe. I was charmed again when making it when I added the heaping tablespoons of dark cocoa by the the rich color and the aroma that bloomed while stirring it into the base. Here is the recipe we shared with people who asked for it in the competition, and I've annotated a couple of things. We did not win (or place), because many people shied away from  even sampling our chili . . . it was a "chili must be red and filled with red beans" kind of crowd, I think! But, we like it (I personally dislike red kidney beans and prefer black beans!). Here's the link to the recipe