What customers are saying about Ken's Railroad Chili
P.S. Your has got to be the best chili I've ever eaten! Keep up the good work!
Joe Salkeld, Bettendorf, IA, 1/7/08
The chili is great. I have actually given most of it away to friends as gifts, as it has a nice history to go with it (I make a copy of the article in the Illinois Railway Museum's Rail & Wire magazine) which makes it more than "just' chili mix. I have a number of buddies who appreciate railroading, thus it makes a perfect yet inexpensive 'thank you'.
My mechanic here at the shop is an accomplished chef and for his personal taste, he "stoked up the boiler" a bit with some more cyanine powder & red pepper flakes. My kids however like it 'as delivered". Feel free to use any of my comments in your advertising. I'm sure to be ordering again!
Best Regards, Larry, www.vairshop.com, 11/01/07
Hi, Warren –
I doubt you remember me, but I wrote about Ken’s Railroad Chili when I was working at the Quad-City Times. I am no longer with the company, but am still using my chili seasoning that you had sent me. It is fantastic, and I always get rave reviews.
I recently won a contest with it, and I just sent the link to your web site to our warehouse in Houston, TX.
I just wanted to say thanks again, and we are still using your product here in the QC’s.
Jama
From: Brian Lee
Sent: Monday, April 16, 2007 7:18 AM
To: Warren Newhauser
Subject: Re: Chili spice
RE: Chili spice
Cascade Rail Foundation, a Washington non-profit organization, started out in the summer of 1999 as The Friends of the South Cle Elum Depot. It was a pretty loose knit group that had one focused goal: Save the former Milwaukee Road ’s South Cle Elum Depot, now a Washington State Parks property, from collapse, fire or its continued path to ruin. One of the events we conduct w yearly is the “Volunteer Picnic” where like minded folks from the community and across the state (and now nationwide!) gathered for a potluck. As early as 2001, Ken’s Railroad Chili has been a big hit at the picnics. In the spring of 2006, Cascade Rail Foundation proudly opened the doors to the Depot Café, carrying on where the “Beanery’ left off in 1974. Since out opening, Ken’s Railroad Chili and it has become a popular menu item. We go through a bit more than five gallons a week in the summer. Several guests come in on a regular basis with nothing on their mind but a bowl of Ken’s Railroad Chili and a slice of hot cornbread! More information about our restoration efforts and the café can be found at www.milwelectric.org or www.thedepotcafe.com
Brian H. Lee
Manager, the Depot Cafe
S. Cle Elum, WA
----- Original Message -----
From: Michael Osweiler
To: Warren Newhauser
Sent: Friday, December 10, 2004 10:11 AM
Subject: Re: 5 oz
It is the best.
My daughter is demanding that she takes some with her when she moves out next summer.
Thanks,
Michael Osweiler, Fairfax, MN
October 2004
We have potluck, dinners at the [BNSF] dispatcher's office [Ft. Worth, TX] for the dispatchers working Christmas day and also for dispatchers that are retiring from the railroad. When we sign up to bring different dishes for the dinners, my dispatching friends always request that I bring the "hobo" chili. they know it is railroad chili but forget the name. They don't forget the great taste!
I have taken over 9 quarts to the dinners at different times. I prepare it in a crock pot. I have found that about 15 hours is the maximum time to cook it. After that, the meat seems to get tough. Also, I don't add the spices when I begin cooking the chili. They loose their flavor after about 8 hours. I try to add them two to three hours before the chili has finished cooking.
I gave a friend a jar for Christmas. He likes to cook the beans and tomatoes in the crock pot for eight hours or more to soften the beans. He then adds the onions, peppers and meat. Like me, he adds the spices a couple of hours before the chili is finished.
Mike Burns
former Milwaukee Road Dispatcher (Deer Lodge, MT)
Azle, TX
Hi....made the Chili on Sunday....loved it. My husband loves spicier food than I so I will be putting in a small amount for myself, and putting the shaker on the table for him...
Great...and soooooo easy. Thanks for mailing it so quickly. I'm sure it will be a hit at the Juniors chili-cookoff.
Debbie Wazniak, Brown Deer, WI, 2/9/04
Normally for our Super Bowl party we have chicken, but this year my wife and I made Ken's RR Chili for our friends. It came out great! All the guys loved it and went back for seconds and thirds! It's S-U-P-E-R!!
My wife wants to make it again, but this time using turkey instead of ground beef.
Jerry Jarvis, Schaumburg, IL, 2/6/04
Warren:
I received Ken's chili in time for our chili cook-off at work.
So last night I made a triple batch of Ken's Chili for the cook-off today. And guess what, I won first prize ($50.00). Unfortunately, I was the only entrant, there were supposed to be 3 entries, but I was the only one who came through. But, all of the 3 judges from our company had 2 bowls of chili each. One of the judges bought the extra jar of Kens chili and several wrote the website address down.
I entered the contest for fun and being a friend of Ken's thought this would be a good way to promote his product. Mission accomplished, I had fun and did promote his product. Hope it works.
Sharon Maaske, Troy, MI, 2/4/04
FROM: "Doug Clark"
TO: "PD-TPE TEAM"
DATE: Mon, 19 Jan 2004 12:38:24 -0600
RE: Ken's Railroad Chili - Soup Tureen
For those of you who pay attention to the Target Cafe menu...you might have noticed today's Soup Tureen is "Ken's Railroad Chili". Naturally, you may assume this is our own Ken Lundy's chili, as he is quite the chef and known for his southwestern fare. HOWEVER, this chili was introduced to Target Cafe by the CAD Team! Warren Newhauser, our developer from Chicago, introduced it to us. Read on for the rest of the story! And for those who tasted Ken's mighty fine chili as prepared by Anthony today, let Warren know what you thought!
Best Regards,
Doug, Brian & Dan
Made the chili Friday the second (January 2004). Good stuff. We over did the spices (never pour into a measuring spoon over the pot, I think I spilled about half again as much as I needed into the pot) and both my kids went back for seconds. Our church has a chili cook off the first weekend in January after the holidays and Jean is thinking about making a pot using your seasonings (she's got plans Saturday and doesn't want to mess with her recipe and I will be in Georgia). I'll let you know how it goes.
Randy Herrick, Jackson, MI
Sent to us from a Woman (name unknown);
"Thanks for the website............my friends need their fix REAL bad !!! LOL. One taste and they are hooked......... I just love looking at that pic of you (that would be Ken) in your, ahem, younger days..........."
Somewhere in Idaho
From: Gene and Vera Lawson
To: Gladys C. Para ; Donna Donley
Sent: Friday, July 25, 2003 9:41 PM
Subject: Milw RR Chili.
Dear Gladys & Donna,
I want you to know how much we appreciated you telling us about the Ken's Milw RR Chili. We were so glad to be able to try the delicious chili and buy the seasoning over there when we stopped in for the Milw Caboose Open House on Sunday June 29th (2003). Vera made the chili 3 times now and we declare that it is the best we have ever eaten. Thank you both so much for introducing us to it!!
Sincerely,
Gene & Vera Lawson, Ellensburg, WA, Engineer (Ret) - Coast Division, Milwaukee Road 1950-80
"Ken's RR Chili Seasoning mix provides an easy, convenient way for me to answer the nagging question, 'What do I fix for dinner tonight?' My own fresh ingredients mixed with just the right combination of spices and seasonings in Ken's mix make preparing a large pot of chili as easy as 1-2-3."
"Ken's RR Chili freezes well, too! I can mix up a large pot of chili for a crowd or freeze smaller portions for my husband and myself. Ken's RR Chili makes cooking chili just that much easier!"
Cathy Smaglik, Milwaukee, WI, 2/13/03
I too can attest to the exceptional taste of Ken's RR Chili prepared by Cathy. It makes a great dinner.
My son has taken some frozen Ken's Chili back to college after visits at home. He appreciates the convenience of having something ready to go when he's hungry. And as kid's typically will be, he's quick to let you know if food doesn't measure up, but he has rave reviews for Ken's Railroad Chili.
Dale Smaglik, Milwaukee, WI, 2/13/03
New Year's Day, 2003
Dear Warren Newhauser:
Today I am eating Ken's Railroad chili, again, to savor it for a final report. (leftovers I put in the freezer) It is very good because, in my transplanted Wisconsin opinion, it is just right--not too dang hot, like some Western showoffs like to produce, a different touch of sweetness from the green peppers, and no molasses, such as some chili performers love to claim. Every man's chili is individual, when it comes down to it, and since I am not a cooker of chili, I am free to simply pass judgment on others' recipes. I like it, and am planning to use it for a large gathering during the coming summer. We may try it out first at a committee meeting. However, whenever we do use it with the public, I would also like to be able to sell the bottles with recipe, as well as to assemble a brief background essay about its origins to give away. Tell me how you will sell your bottled spices in bulk order--for use, and for resale.
Thanks for the chili.
Gladys Para, Project Director, OTHELLO'S MILWAUKEE ROAD INTERPRETIVE CABOOSE; a project of THE OLD HOTEL ART GALLERY, OTHELLO, WA, 99344
