Pictured above is Celebrity Judge, Jordan Carrillo with Jeff Flicek, winner of both the Celebrity and Popular vote in the Chili Cookoff at St. Clair Legion.
On one of the most bone-chilling days so far this winter season, St. Clair Legion Post 475 filled the bellies of shivering spectators with a serving–or eight–of delicious chili during their annual Chili Cookoff December 13.
The days leading up to the Cookoff featured unbearably cold mornings with temperatures reaching the -30s, strong winds rattling homes, and ice rain transforming Main Streets into ice rinks and obliterating kneecaps. After a few days battling the elements, there was no better remedy than a nice, warm bowl of chili made by locals looking to be claimed the top dog. Eight St. Clair locals prepared their own version of this classic dish of meat, beans, and seasonings, and while all the entries were hearty and worthy of being leftovers for days, only one or two would receive recognition.
What was more heartwarming was the Legion’s decision to name me, the friendly neighborhood reporter–make that Editor–the Celebrity Judge for the contest. Now, over the years writing for the Journal, the notoriety of being the local newsman grants certain perks like a behind the scenes look at certain concerts or events, opportunities to speak with classrooms about writing sports articles, and the occasional free banquet meal. These things are always met with gratitude and appreciation, but judging a chili contest takes the pot for one of the best perks of this position. Seriously, this is right up my alley.
Cooking is one of many passions of mine, so selecting the best-tasting entry was a careful and well-thought out process. Trying each bowl of chili more than once helped separate the contenders from the pretenders, leaving four out of the eight on the cutting room floor. A few followed the traditional route of chili, but lacked the proper spice needed to warm the cockles of my belly…another had more veggie soup elements with celery, onion, and tomatoes.
With four pots remaining, the two that stood out were a delightfully smoky chili that featured bold, rich flavors and a standard chili that not only had incredible aromas, but delivered the proper peppery bite that a great chili deserves. On a cold day, a bowl of warm chili invites you to have another and continue until you can no longer stand. It was a difficult choice to decide which of these two would be my Celebrity choice as the first entry had a much better depth of flavor while the second resembled a recipe that has been perfected over time. However, I recalled an important lesson learned in the kitchen: taste is king.
After awarding the Celebrity pick, the patrons at the Legion dined on the pots of chili themselves, and whisperings seemed to mirror my own choices as my top two soon became their top two. Although a few were taken aback by the spiciness of the traditional chili, some were delighted to scoop another ladle into their bowl. Once the votes were all tabulated, it was discovered that Jeff Flicek would win both the Celebrity and Popular vote and a cash prize of 200 dollars…it would be his second straight year winning the Celebrity vote. Even though the other cooks did not taste victory, they celebrated Flicek’s victory, and vowed to dethrone him at next year’s competition. Who knows, perhaps this Editor will throw his own recipe into the ring?
It was another successful Chili Cookoff at the St. Clair Legion, and it was a thrill to be nominated as a Celebrity Judge. My choices were fair and based on flavor alone, though whomever made that spicy chili can make a warm batch for me anytime, especially on a frosty, winter day.
