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The key is suet. Almost impossible to find in New York these days, but the butchers at Ottomanelli will scoop it out of the porterhouse sides by hand if you ask them nicely. Browning the beef (and pork if you use it) in rendered suet gives an incredible depth of flavor.

Beyond this I use freshly ground anchos, pasillas and especially guajillos, with pequins or birdseyes ground in by hand to taste as the chili cooks. My guide is John Thorne, though I add tomato paste and sometimes beer (to deglaze) or pork belly if I have a taste for it. And... onion powder. So not politically correct all the way. But SUET... if you can find it. Some butchers have openly laughed at me when I asked for it. "We used to feed it to the birds!" said one East Village butcher, otherwise a kingly establishment.

Young's Double Chocolate Stout and beef shortribs, braised Italian style but in proper Mexican chili spices.

Pickled jalapenos with some juice, either a fresh habanero or chipotle chiles in adobo, or both, crushed pineapple and cilantro.

I'm a devotee to peaty scotch whiskeys: Compass Box Flaming Heart and Ardbeg's Airigh Nam Beist (only have had a glass of it, but that baby's on my X-mas list) are my favorites.

Because I usually drink scotch at get togethers, a lot of women will join in with me. I've also found that women of my grandmother's generation (in their 60's, 70's, 80's) are more likely to be scotch drinkers. My own nana, actually, almost had a run-in with my brother in law a few weeks ago, over his putting ice in his scotch. "Ruins the flavor." (I totally agree.)

A Hole in One!!!! My grandfather used to make these for me when I was a very little girl, visiting him in Lancaster, PA. He was not a golfer. He was first-generation American of Swedish descent, who had grown up in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Hello from Hillary in Texas!

I wanted to share with you that all my female friends are avid whiskey drinkers. As a great mixer with diet coke (a 'girl' drink), we can imbibe whatever amount to our heart's desires without ballooning up. Of course, I may add my friends and I are big drinkers, so it was an acquired taste. I drink almost strictly only whiskey drinks these days and have for the past several years!

Most of the time I drink Jim Beam (great Bourbon for the price). Beats out every brand by far. Jim Beam is a very great friend in my social circle.

I'm in my thirties, and I'm a recent born-again convert to whiskey. In fact, it's mostly the only type of liqueur I drink anymore. My go-to drinks are Manhattans and Sazeracs, but when the weather gets cold, I love nothing better than a peaty, seaweed highlands Scotch.

Favorite Bourbon: Eagle Rare
Favorite Single Malt Scotch: Lagavulin (from Islay)

I haven't gotten into Irish or Canadian whiskey. And I haven't yet tried a Japanese whiskey, which is apparently trendy these days.

I'm 26 and grew up with an appreciation of whiskey thanks to a Grandma who's cocktail of choice is a CC and water, and a mom who's favorite drink is Scotch neat with a glass of ice. I prefer bourbon (Makers). Add to that my husbands growing collection of islay whiskeys (current shelf includes Laphroig, Brucchladich, Caio Illa, and some other ones i won't even try to misspell. Needless to say whiskey takes up a whole liquor shelf in our house and we're definitely going to whiskeyfest in Chicago this year!

I am a 24 year-old female from Kentucky, so bourbon is almost like a religion. You at least have to learn to drink it, even if it's not your favorite. That being said, I prefer Maker's Mark and Woodford, but know a lot of guys who won't even touch the stuff. I just say, it's part of where I grew up!

I'm a woman, 33 and I grew up on Scotch. I think I've received a bottle every year since my 19th birthday, too. I finally got my (now) husband drinking scotch when we went on a holiday last year, and now it's a hobby for him. We even took a (small) bottle of Johnny Walker Blue with us to our wedding in Mexico in September, and incorporated a toast with it into our ceremony, before we said our vows.

I'm a 30 year old New York transplant who was raised in Kentucky and I adore bourbon, and have been drinking it and cooking with it (banana's foster is amazing with bourbon) since I was younger than anyone should know. Although I rarely drink, when I do, I help myself to some bourbon.

It has been the drink of choice in my family for generations - my grandfather would liberally pour it on my ice cream as a kid, as he and my grandmother enjoyed their evening bourbon cocktails. His grandfather could only be convinced to get his limb amputated with the assistance of bourbon.

When it comes to bourbon, there isn't a house in Kentucky that doesn't have at least one bottle in its bar. The "table" bourbon of choice of any Kentuckian is Maker's Mark. I was taught from a young age to mix with Marker's and keep the good stuff like Woodford Reserve and Knob Creek for drinks on the rocks or a dash of water.

Every place I have lived, be it continental Europe, the American midwest to the UK, I have always brought at least one bottle of my dark caramel friend (even had backup bottles sent via mail) to share with friends and convert them. I extol the wonders of it and after one drink, I can quiet down and let it speak for itself.

Bourbon girl all the way, here. I like the good stuff, but will drink most brands if it's what's on offer. And I like it on the rocks; no splash; no mixers.

I'm 34 & female and I was a Jack drinker for years, but now my go-to whiskey is Power's, on the rocks. I can't often afford fancy stuff, but a bottle of Maker's is required for Thanksgiving and again in the spring when the mint starts growing- it's the only bourbon I use in Manhattans and mint juleps.
I like other liquor too, depending on my mood, but there's something soothing about whiskey.