Some big questions going into today's event: Does Regina Clary three-peat as best in show? Does Jo Zimmerman defend her title of Best Vegetarian? What will Dr. Spangenburg dish out this year? We'll found out soon.
----
12:56 a.m. The chili has been eaten, the bread dipped, the deserts sampled, and there's a good number of satisfied Kinesiology students and faculty enjoying some conversation until the results are tallied. Here's a look back thus far:
While there were fewer entries than in past years, 6 brave souls put their chili up for judgment, with about 15 others entering in either the bread or desert competition. I learned early on that Regina Clary, the department's business manager and two time defending "best in show," had decided NOT to enter a chili this year and instead go with a desert, leaving the the chili field wide open.
At 12:15, Jane Clark herded us all inside and explained the rules: each entry was coded to preserve anonymity and make sure that the decisions were based on the chili alone. Little cups and spoons were handed out and the crowd looked with eager anticipation at the six pots spread out on the table before them. Then it began.
(I have to admit, I took a break from "reporting" at this point and focused solely on eating my chili. To give your personal feedback on the entries, feel free to comment below. Also, please forgive me for the low quality of my descriptions. Believe me, the chili entries were much better than my words can give them credit for).
C-1: A hearty, beans and meat chili. This was, in my opinion, the hottest on the table, and made me tear up a little bit. A very solid entry, and definitely in the running for the best in show.
C-2: The only vegetarian entry, this chili combined some spices that I couldn't identify (rosemary? oregano? corriander?) into a delightfully full-flavored and interesting chili.
C-3: Chicken, corn, and green things (vegetables maybe?) was spicy without being overpowering, with a great texture.
C-4: Another solid, no frills chili--beans, meat, tomato. In baseball terms, this entry would have been a solid double off the wall in the late innings of a tied game.
C-5: Exotic and flavorful, this chili was quite unexpected but delicious none the less.
C-6: Ambitious without being frightening, this chili featured clumpy meat with veggies. This was my vote for most interesting.
Deserts and Breads had some great entries, many of which I was not nearly quick enough to get to before they were gone.
They're announcing the winners now. Be back soon.
-----
1:26 -- WE HAVE WINNERS!
Best in Show AND Hottest: Melissa Hengelinan (doctoral student) for "C-1."
Best Vegetarian: Anusha Venkatakrishnan (doctoral student) for "C-2."
Most Interesting: Jo Zimmerman (doctoral student) for "C-3."
Best Desert: Mallory Marshall (master's student) for her Cherry and Apricot squares.
Best Bread: Maureen Kayes (doctoral student) for her Homemade Bread Sticks.
Each winner received a $25 gift certificate to Barnes and Noble, as well as the satisfaction of knowing that their chili, bread or desert was delicious.
Jo Zimmerman's chili, the corn, chicken and spinach (the green thing in question) was particularly popular after the event, with many asking for the recipe. According to Zimmerman, the recipe came from her sister-in-law, although she did put her own spin on it.
"I wanted to try something different this year," Zimmerman said.
---
Thanks to Regina Clary and Vicci Marteny for organizing and running the event, to Dr. Jane Clark for being the unofficial herder and announcer, to Stan Kayes (Maureen's husband) for the great pictures you see here, and to all those who attended and entered. We'll see you next year for more chili.
No comments:
Post a Comment