Chili cook-off to mark a spicy start to October
By Megan VerHelst, Editor
Sweaters and jackets have been coming out of closets recently, but none of these will be necessary because Friday night in the West Hancock Elementary School gymnasium is liable to bring the temperature up a few degrees.
As Britt's fifth-annual chili cook-off approaches, several teams and individuals-some returning veterans, some new to the game-have been dusting off their slow cookers and perfecting their favorite chili recipes with one goal in mind: take home the top prize for the best chili.
“The cook-off gets the community involved in a little friendly competition,” said Christie Hobscheidt, one of organizers of the chili cook-off. “The variety of chili choices is always good and the people that come really enjoy the different tastes.”
The cook-off, sponsored by the Britt Chamber of Commerce, will begin at 5 p.m. on Friday, October 9. Participants will then serve their chili to the public. Those who attend will have the opportunity to sample chili in three different categories-mild, spicy and unique.
Once everyone has sampled the different chili, they will be asked to vote for their favorite in each category. Votes will then be tallied and judging will begin at 6:15 p.m.
Winners are determined by who receives the highest number of votes. There will be first, second and third-place winners in each category, and will receive $50, $25 and $15 in Britt Bucks, respectively.
Admission to the event is $5. The cook-off will lead up to a much-anticipated football game between West Hancock and Garner-Hayfield.
“This will be an exciting precedent to the football game, so hopefully we will have a large turnout,” Hobscheidt said.
The cook-off will also serve cinnamon rolls, crackers, juice and milk. Bob and Lois Whipple's Double Dip Ice Cream will also be served.
Hobscheidt, who has helped with the event's planning since its inception, said each cook-off remains similar to the prior year's event. When the cook-off first began, it was held outdoors before it was moved to the elementary school gymnasium.
Something new to the cook-off this year will be the introduction of a traveling trophy, an award that will be given annually to the team or individual with the best table presentation.
All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Britt Food Bank.
“We thought there was a large need for that this year due to the economy and the way things are,” Hobscheidt said. “Hopefully we will be able to help out some local people.”
Hobscheidt said the chili cook-off has always been a low-cost way to bring the community together. One of the best things about it, she said, is the fact the cook-off offers something for everyone.
“If you like mild, that's good, but if you like spicy, you can always spice things up, too,” Hobscheidt said.
Helping to spice things up at the cook-off are the employees of First State Bank in Britt and Britt-Woden Insurance. Bank President Les Johnson said FSB and Britt-Woden Insurance got involved in the cook-off to do something fun and show community spirit.
“The staff here really gets behind it and does a good job,” Johnson said. “It's good for businesses to participate in things like this and we really enjoy it.”
The team from the two businesses has entered at least one chili every year since the competition began and it is a team effort from start to finish.
“We start planning a month before by kicking around ideas and coming up with a theme,” said Darlene Schaefer, loan secretary at FSB. “Everyone pitches in.”
Once a theme and a chili recipe is chosen, everyone is in charge of a different task, whether it be decorating their cook-off space or cooking the actual chili. Themes vary from fall décor to Halloween to football.
Misty Powers, agent at Britt-Woden Insurance, said the team has tried its hand at each category of chili. Although the team usually only cooks one kind of chili per year, it has done more than one in the past.
The variety has paid off. The FSB and Britt-Woden Insurance team has placed each year, and its big success, Powers and Schaefer said, has been in décor.
“We are a successful team,” Schaefer said. “We work as a team, and I think that's why we're so successful.”
Johnson said it could be because the business simply has some good cooks on staff.
“We've got a very good team and they are ambitious,” Johnson said. “People who are willing and wanting to help are usually successful.”
As for their plans for the upcoming cook-off, team members' lips are sealed.
“We can't tell you,” Powers said with a laugh. “It's top-secret.”
The key to working well as a team for FSB and Britt-Woden Insurance is everyone playing a role in planning for the chili cook-off and having fun while they do it.
“You come up with a good idea, be creative, work as a team and have fun,” Powers said. “Just take a chance and go.”
Story created Oct 06, 2009 - 14:53:19 CDT.
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