What Do We Mean by 'Chili'? © 2001 The Washington Post Company Wednesday, July 18, 2001; Page F04 What is the difference between a chili and a chile? And a chili (chile) pepper? When writing about this spicy ingredient in the pages of The Post, we follow Webster's dictionary and use the word "chili" to describe both the fresh pepper and the dried one (and use "chilies" as the plural). So we also use the terms "chili powder" and "chili sauce." And that pot full of beans or beans and meat that you might serve on Super Bowl Sunday? That's also chili. Robert Farr, Chile Man, uses the "e" version for his logo and his Web site. The Post does too when we refer to some dishes, such as chiles rellenos ("stuffed peppers") or chile con queso (a spicy melted cheese dish), because those Spanish words describe a country's native dish the same way that French words represent "creme brulee" or Italian words represent "pasta alla puttanesca." Carl Camper chateaustripmin@mcn.net