Best Chilli for Frito Pie?

Wow, nice to see you here Jimbo! The Chili Pie Casserole is a dish that some here may not have heard of. It's an evolution of basic Chili Pie. And thanks for the tip of how to keep the Fritos crispy in that dish. They would surely turn to mush if not pre- baked like you said.  I would like to hear your thoughts on the info from Mellow's link above. You have somehow caused me to think we need a time line of the whole Frito Chili Pie deal.
 
So... when did Fritos hit the market? Looks like Elmer Doolin bought the basic recipe from someone in San Antonio for $100 in 1932. Accounts differ as to who was paid this money. I'll go with Wiki's version that it was a small chip manufacturer who also included some equipment in tha deal for Doolin's 100 bucks. Next, Elmer and his brother started baking about 10 lbs. a day of the corn chips, with the help of their mom, in her kitchen. They were sold for 5c a bag and generated a whoping $10 a day in sales. !n 1933 sales increased at a rapid rate and production was moved to Houston and Dallas.
 
That was probably the year my Grandfather met Elmers mom Daisy Doolin. He just told me she was the mother of the guys who invented Fritos and never mentioned her, or her sons, by name. So Im going w/ 1933 as the year he told Daisy that Fritos were good to eat w/ Wolf Brand Chili. But he warned her to put the Fritos on top of the chili, or just eat then on the side instead of Saltine Crackers. I remember Pawpaw saying something about her sons thinking this was a good idea but that they didn't like Wolf or any kind of chili. Now that was something, as a kid, that I thought was weird! I didn't know anyone who didn't love chili.
 
My first memory of eating Frito Chili Pie w/ my Pawpaw was when I was about 5 yrs. old and that would have been around 1952. And I always remember it being called Frito Chili Pie. Pleanty of folks in Dallas were eating Frito Chili Pie by then.
 
So the big question is??? When was the first Frito Chili Pie served to a paying consumer? Was it maybe in 1960, by a drug store cafateria, in New Mexico? This was 7 yrs. after Chili Pie was  a common dish in Texas homes. I'm bettin some place in Texas was serving it befor then. But who was it?
Joe
 
 
 
 

That's a terrific story.  I think you should email it to Kaleta Doolin but, then again, the corporate story must be maintained and never change.  
 
My mother made Fritos Chili Pie Casserole, the Frito-Lay version, quite often, and I remember enjoying it.  Of course, there was no Wolf Brand Chili here, so I'm sure she used Hormel or Armour at the time. 
 
That brings me to something that dawned on me this week.  I think some enterprising racketeer or restaurateur should serve chili over a choice of corn chips, rice, cornbread or noodles, and then offer a choice of toppings.  Kind of a chili pie of your choice.  I think they'd make a killing.  Of course, they could also offer a deluxe version, with chili over all of the above, for the Adam Richmans of the world.   
 

Mellow, maybe Kaleta will find this thread? But yes, I doubt they want to change their story. But, it is a true story that is just missing one small detail. If Daisy were still alive she could say how she got the idea to eat chili w/ Fritos. I doubt her sons would remember. Hey... those guys, acording to my Grandfather, would not even eat chili. But, they were still smart enough to think it was a good idea for their corn chips.
 
Oh. Mellow... you gotta find a can of Wolf Brand. Hard to believe no one near you sells it. Hmm, maybe an opportunity there somewhere?
 
And oh, the Avalon Diner, in or near Houston, had Frito Chili Pie on the menu when it opened in 1938. I doubt it was the first place to serve it though. I'm betting some place in Dallas had it first.
 
My Bro Jimbo posted the Wolf Brand slogan back on P.1. Almost everyone over 40 who lives, or grew up, in Texas can recite that thing to ya. And "Well... that's tooo long" is used in all kinds of circumstances. :~)
Joe

I was raised in Texas on Frito Pie, and there was only 2 types of chili used. Hormel without beans (I think the call it hotdog chili now) was what school cafeterias used (I used to be a baker for large school when they used to actually bake bread) and at home we only used brick style chili which you broke up in a pan with water and simmered.  We would never "waste" homemade chili we ground and simmered for hours on frito pie unless it was left overs and you was stretching it.  LOL!   For you youngsters, brick chili was sort of dried beef and chili compressed into a brick.  I haven't seen brick chili since the 70's. 
 
Now I live in Washington N of Seattle and NO ONE knows what a frito pie is.  I actually got a hot dog shop to start making them cause I would buy a bag of fritos, ask them for a paper boat, dump the fritos in, then bought a chili dog without the dog asking them to just put it ontop of my fritos.  LOL.  Sadly, they didn't have a market for them outside of my boys and some of their friends.   In such a desert of no fast food frito pies, I have resorted at times to same process at the 7-11, except I buy nachos, substitute my purchased bag of fritos inside the boat, and then squirt the chili and cheese on...but don't tell anyone.  A real Texas gal wouldn't use nacho cheese on a frito pie.

Petro's Chili & Chips may be the only restaurant chain specializing in Frito Pie, though they don't call it that.  The location here closed several years ago, and I really miss it.  Very good product. 
 
http://www.petros.com/

D'oh!  Looks like they're opening a location in Dallas soon.  Have they been warned about PapaJoe8?

New Frito Pies?
http://www.fritospieremix.com/

Mellow, hey I'm open minded! All sounds good to me!!! I have some Pork n' Beans and will try that. And....
Joe

PapaJoe8:  Don't forget to stop at Petro's when they hit the Big D.

Oh, MSn... welcome to Roadfood! I agree about not using homemade chili on a FCP. Unless... like you said. But...Hormel???  Try some Wolf Brand and Fritos at home and you might ??? feel right at home. :~)
 
Mellow, I'll keep an eye out for Petro's.
Joe

MsNeuropril:  Didn't see your post earlier, so I also welcome you to Roadfood.  I must be in a distinct minority, because I pour homemade chili over Fritos anytime I have some made.  But, for sure, no nacho cheese!
 
PapaJoe8:  I haven't had the opportunity to visit Petro's since they closed our location, but I do understand that, since then, they have replaced the ground beef in their chili with chicken.  Not sure if it tastes the same as I remember, but I'll be curious how Texans react.  (No word on whether they've added celery as a topping.)

Mellow, Chicken Frito Pie??? I doubt that this will go over well here in Texas. Wat yall think???
 
I do think Chicken Chili and Chicken Tacos are just fine though.
Joe

I understand it looks and tastes like regular beef chili, but again, I haven't sampled the newer recipe.   They don't advertise it as chicken chili, just "special recipe" chili.  

PapaJoe8


Mellow, I'll keep an eye out for Petro's.
Joe

That's fine, but please put it back in as soon as possible.