*Chili Powder
The inventor of chili powder is disputed, what is clear is that it was invented in Texas. According to Chili historian Joe Cooper, the inventor was a German immigrant named William Gebhardt. In 1894, Gebhardt ran a café in New Braunfels, Texas. At this time, chili was a seasonal food since the peppers were only available after the summer harvest. Gebhardt solved the problem by importing chilies from Mexican farmers in bulk. This allowed him to serve chili throughout the year but the large amount of dried peppers he had to keep on hand posed a problem, so he started grinding them in a meat grinder. He would add oregano and cumin seeds to the chili peppers as well; he called the spice mix “Tampico Dust” (after Tampico, Mexico?) at first but would later rebrand it to Gebhardt’s Eagle Chili Powder; it is still sold under that brand today. In 1896, he opened a factory to make and sell his chili powder.
It is important to note that the widespread availability of Gebhardt’s chili powder is one of the reasons that Tex-Mex food became popular throughout the US. It made the essential spices available in places where they would have been difficult to find in the late 19th century.
Chili Descriptions from J. Kenji López-Alt, https://www.seriouseats.com/. From his Original Texas Chili Con Carne Recipe:
Sweet and fresh: These peppers have distinct aromas reminiscent of red bell peppers and fresh tomatoes. They include: costeño, New Mexico (aka dried Anaheim, California, or Colorado), and choricero.
Hot: An overwhelming heat. The best, like cascabels also have some complexity, while others like the pequin or arbol, are all heat, and not much else.
Smoky: Some chile peppers, like chipotles (dried, smoked jalapeños), are smoky because of the way they are dried. Others, like ñora or guajillo have a natural musty, charred wood, smokiness.
Rich and Fruity: Distinct aromas of sun-dried tomatoes, raisins, chocolate, and coffee. Some of the best-known Mexican chiles, like ancho, mulato, and pasilla, are in this category.
*Chili Powder
from Carolyn Dille & Susan Belsinger's The Chile Pepper Book
If you can't find all the dried chiles called for here, by all means experiment with what is available to you. Guajillos are a good addition for flavor, and japones and piquins are good for heat. The paprika here is for color and the cayenne, for heat; omit them if the powder suits you without them, or add more of each. Using many different dried chiles results in a chile powder that plays across your chile dishes and palate with a great deal of subtlety and resonance.
FMM: I have made this chili powder and it has an amazing depth of flavor due to the diverse flavors from the different chilis and the toasting of the chilis and spices. A thousand times better than store bought. Our Mexican grocery stores have not heard of dried California or New Mexico chiles; you can use Guajillo chiles instead. This makes a lot of chili powder; cut recipe back to 1/3, which will make about 2/3 cups of chili powder.
6 large dried California or New Mexico or Guajillo chiles 
(long with shiny red, fairly smooth skins, guajillos are dried
mirosol peppers)
3 large dried ancho chiles 
(heart
shaped, nearly black wrinkled skin, dried poblano
peppers picked when red)
3 large dried mulatto chiles
(flat heart-shaped, nearly black wrinkled skin,
dried poblano
peppers picked when dark brown, sub ancho chiles if
necessary)
3 large dried pasilla chiles, also known as chile negro
(long with black, wrinkled skins)
6 dried chipotle chiles 
(smaller, dark brownish red to black with wrinkled skin)
6 Tbsp. cumin seed
6 Tbsp. coriander seed
1 Tbsp. whole cloves
6 Tbsp. dried Mexican oregano
3 Tbsp. paprika, optional
1 Tbsp. ground cayenne, optional
Wearing rubber gloves, remove the stems and most of the seeds from the dried chiles. Break the chiles into large pieces. Over low heat, toast them in two or three batches on an ungreased griddle or skillet for about one minute. The chiles should just begin to smell fragrant. Do not let them darken or they will taste bitter. [Be careful of the fumes given off by the peppers, especially the chipotle.] Cool the chiles to room temperature on a platter.
Over low heat, toast the cumin, coriander, and cloves on an ungreased griddle or skillet for about 3 minutes, or until they release their aroma. They should be lightly colored. Cool the spices to room temperature on a plate.
Break the chiles further by hand, wearing rubber gloves, or in a food processor. Grind them in small batches in a spice grinder or a clean coffee mill.
Grind the toasted spices and the oregano in small batches in a spice grinder or coffee mill. Mix the ground chiles and spices together. Grind again in small batches to make a fine powder.
Blend the paprika and cayenne well into the powder if you are using them. Store the chile powder in tightly sealed glass jars away from light and heat. Use within six months for best flavor.
Makes about 2 cups
Chili Powder
The Whole Chile Pepper Book by Dave DeWitt and Nancy Gerlach
1 part dried ground cayenne or other red chile such as piquin
or chile arbol
1 part dried ground pasilla chile or other mild powder such as
ancho
5 parts dried ground red New Mexican chiles
2 parts garlic powder
1 1/2 parts ground cumin
1 1/2 parts ground oregano
Combine all ingredients together and mix well. For use in recipes such as chili con carne.
Chili Powder
2 ounces dried ancho chiles
4 ounces dried red New Mexican chiles
1 ounce dried chile de Arbol - to add some heat
6 tablespoons cumin seeds - toasted and ground
6 tablespoons granulated garlic
4 tablespoons ground Mexican oregano
4 tablespoons hot Hungarian paprika
Combine all ingredients together and mix well.
