On his journey through the States, Barry had picked up a number of recipe ideas from the chefs and home cooks he’d met. When visiting New York—which sadly was devoid of cowboys—he was advised to add a bottle or two of beer to his chili. The same chef had also suggested he add pieces of bacon and chopped green poblano chiles to a pan of cornbread. It not only added color but also a rich and complex flavor.
Even though the kitchen door was open, the room was warm and stuffy. With the pot of chili bubbling away happily on the stove, the bacon fried, and the flame charred poblanos steaming in a covered bowl, Barry decided he’d earned a sit down out on the deck. Pulling a chair into the shade of the house, he stretched out his legs and closed his eyes. From somewhere he could hear a televisio
