Father Tom Warren's Oso Flaco Chili Father Tom Warren is a modern-day mission father at San Buenaventura. His great-grandmother, Laureana Cularte, came around the Horn to California from the island of Pico, in the Azores, in the 1860's. His grandmother was baptized at Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, and married at Mission Santa Ines. At the family ranch at Oso Flaco (Lean Bear) in the Santa Maria Valley, the family has kept the use of cumin, brought from the Azores, in its cooking. Along with this, Father Warren makes generous use of cardamom and locally grown and packed chile in his Oso Flaco Chili. 2 cloves garlic, diced 8 ozs. dried California red chiles, broken up and stems removed 4 Tbs. cumin seed water 2 10-oz. cans Las Palmas red chile sauce 2 tsp. dried oregano 1/2 tsp. ground allspice 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 2 Tbs. chili powder i tsp. dried oregano 4 Tbs. ground cardamom salt to taste olive oil 2 lbs. ground round Cabernet Sauvignon or other good California dry red wine Place garlic, chiles, and cumin in a large stewing pot. Fill pot three-quarters full of water and let ingredients soak overnight. Next morning, bring to a boll. Add the chile sauce, spices, and salt. Cook over low heat for about two to two and one-half hours. In a little olive oil, lightly brown ground beef and add to pot. Simmer until seasonings are well blended with meat. To add a little zest, pour some Carbernet Sauvignon into the chili and heat to proper serving temperature. author's note: if you can't win 'em over through Christianity, try Chili. But I'm afraid this recipe won't convert too many.