This was probably the biggest turn-out for a cook off that I've seen. Cheerleaders, bikers, clowns, firefighters, ambulance corps, vendors, volunteers,and of course chili cooks. Lots of chili cooks. It looked like a tent city from the street as I was rolling in. At the cooks meeting, at 9:00am I learned there would be 53 red chili entries, 30 something for Green chili and 23 salsa. Being one of the earlier cook-offs of the year, I knew all the best cooks would be in attendance and my chances were slim. Painfully slim.
I started my prep work the night before, getting my tri-tip roast for the red chili and my perfectly trimmed pork loin for my green chili, cut into perfect little cubes. Both were delicately placed in a baggie and put in the fridge. Martha Stewart would have been so proud.
Then I prepared my salsa, seeding and chopping 6 tomatoes on the vine that had been purchased the weekend before, placed on the kitchen counter, but with strict instructions to the family that they not be placed in the refrigerator under penalty of a severe tongue lashing. This in order to give the tomatoes the optimum chance to gain maximum flavor I then took my peppers, onions, garlic, and other veggies in hand and proceeded to chop, slice and dice in the proper proportion as to give the judges the perfect salsa experience.
After giving a nice squeeze of lime and giving a quick taste, I noticed the salsa was a bit, well, bland.
Hmmm. Needs salt. So I added salt. A lot. Now that's better. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
I screwed up. I forgot the cardinal salsa rule. No salt until just before turn in to the judges or you will have mush. I tossed and turned all night trying to figure out if I could save this mess.
Well, I did my best the next day at the cook-off to salvage the salsa. I added more fresh stuff, made it taste good, but I could tell it was too mushy and off color. Not the bright colors the judges will expect.
Oh well, life goes on. I turned it in and said a Hail Mary.
About the same time the Youth division was turning in their red chili. So I stuck my head in the judges tent to take a peek. As soon as I did, I was asked if I wanted to help judge the chili for the yutes. I had never judged before, but I had an expectation of what to look for, so I agreed to help out. There were 8 entries to start. One was disqualified because they added beans. A no no in the competition chili world. So down to 7.
The other judges and I were instructed to be constructive on our comments and not ruin these kids for life. To be honest, I was very nice. The chili itself was, overall, pretty good. The kids made all the mistakes we all have. Chop meat, over cooked meat, too salty, too mild, too bland, etc... I tried them all and made my comments and tried to remember which ones I likes the best. Then I ranked the top 3, signed my sheet and went back to my tent. My good deed for the day.
I ended up being ahead of schedule on my Red and Green chilis so I took another walk and... wouldn't you know it? The hot pepper eating contest was just starting. They were looking for about 8 hearty fools to partake in this sick event. And no. I didn't compete. I can eat hot stuff as well as the next guy, but after making habanero hot sauce for the last 10 years, I have learned to respect the mighty chili and learned the evil it can do. Well, these guys were amazing. They were popping jalapenos, serranos, cayenne's in with no problem. Then came the habaneros. This separated the men from the boys. They dropped off one by one, turning all kinds of colors, gasping for breath and running for the port a potties. Until there were 2 left. At the end, to break the tie, they gave them 3 habaneros to eat. One guy ate 2 right away and was reaching for the third, when the other finalist, got up, shook his head and said no way. Smart move, but I think it was a little too late to save himself. I'm sure he is curled up in a corner some where right about now.
There was also a hot wing eating contest. The one I entered last year. No, I avoided this as well and hung around to watch just long enough to see the contestants realize that this was a big mistake. I had to leave the area because the smell was giving me flashbacks.
Back at the tent, I wrapped up the Green, then Red chilis, turning in what I thought was my best effort so far. I turned them in, served up some chili to our chili eating public, packed up my car and waited for the results of the judging.
Well, as fate would have it, I got a top 10 in salsa and nothing in red or green. My comments on the judging sheets gave me some insight as to where I went wrong. I did see some mushy comments on the salsa. Arggggghhhh!
Anyway, we do it all again in 3 weeks 5/22/10, at the First Annual Doc Dowling, Platt Tech Chili Cookoff.
My Bad Bandito team mates will be working hard to put this event together, so they will not be competing. So that gives me an opportunity to branch out on my own and announce my new chili team.
KISS OF IRON, GOURMET CHILI. Stop by my tent and I will give you the story behind the name.
Hope to see you all there.
CB
