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On Judging the New England Regional Chili Cook Off
Last weekend, A Couple in the Kitchen got a first-hand glimpse into the culinary underbelly of the competitive chili world when we were offered the opportunity to be judges at the New England Regional Chili Cook Off.
The setting was a field in Somers, Connecticut, and it was the perfect 70-degree sunny spring day. The NERCC is a fund-raiser for the Somers fire department as well as a day to honor our nation's vets, and the organizers and sponsors were given awards for their efforts. Numerous tents and booths were set up, offering tastings of chili and other foodstuffs with a few craft booths selling their wares (jewelry, purses, and the like) in between. The scent…
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%20in%20between.%20The%20scent%20of%20chili%20peppered%20the%20air%20and%20our%20stomachs%20grumbled%20in%20anticipation.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAfter%20a%20brief%20but%20informative%20orientation,%20we%20were%20told%20what%20time%20to%20return%20for%20the%20salsa%20judging%20(11:00%20a.m.)%20at%20which%20point%20each%20judge%20was%20randomly%20handed%20a%20folder.%20Inside%20the%20folder%20was%20a%20judge's%20score%20sheet%20that%20indicated%20whether%20s/he%20was%20to%20judge%20Table%20A%20or%20Table%20B%20(the%20semi-finals)%20or%20Table%20F%20(the%20finals).%20Amy%20pulled%20a%20B,%20while%20Chris%20got%20the%20much-more-desired%20F,%20lucky%20guy!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EWith%20about%20a%20dozen%20judges%20per%20table,%20and%20more%20than%20a%20dozen%20offerings,%20it%20took%20Amy%20about%2040%20minutes%20to%20taste%20all%20the%20entries.%20Most%20of%20the%20salsas%20were%20fresca-style%20-%20made%20of%20chopped%20tomatoes%20and%20peppers%20with%20cilantro%20and%20other%20seasonings%20-%20although%20one%20stand-out%20was%20a%20pineapple-and-red-onion%20salsa.%20We%20were%20instructed%20to%20taste%20each%20one%20the%20exact%20same%20way:%20cleanse%20the%20palate,%20smell,%20taste,%20report,%20then%20repeat%20with%20the%20next%20batch.%20If%20you%20cleansed%20your%20palate%20with%20a%20sip%20of%20water%20or%20beer%20or%20a%20chip%20for%20one,%20you%20had%20to%20do%20the%20same%20with%20all%20of%20them,%20and%20you%20were%20allowed%20to%20go%20back%20and%20re-try%20any%20of%20them%20once%20you%20completed%20the%20table.%20The%20judge's%20report%20form%20had%20room%20for%20comments%20and%20a%20place%20to%20mark%20your%20%20favorites%20-%201st,%202nd,%20and%203rd%20place.%20When%20Amy%20was%20done,%20she%20headed%20back%20into%20the%20light,%20mouth%20on%20fire%20and%20in%20need%20of%20a%20beverage,%20while%20Chris%20headed%20in%20shortly%20thereafter%20to%20judge%20the%20salsa%20finals.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EWhen%20the%20salsa-judging%20was%20complete,%20we%20had%20a%20few%20hours%20of%20leisure%20time%20before%20it%20was%20time%20for%20our%20next%20task,%20judging%20the%20most-important-of-all%20red%20chilis%20(we%20skipped%20the%20green%20chilis%20for%20fear%20of%20filling%20up).%20Red%20chili%20is%20what%20the%20New%20England%20Regional%20Chili%20Cook%20Off,%20officially%20sanctioned%20by%20the%20International%20Chili%20Society,%20is%20all%20about!%20We%20were%20forewarned%20not%20to%20try%20any%20of%20the%20chilis%20at%20the%20festival%20beforehand%20in%20order%20to%20keep%20our%20palates%20clear%20for%20the%20judging.%20So%20while%20judging%20all%20of%20those%20salsas%20had%20whet%20our%20appetites,%20it%20wasn't%20easy%20to%20find%20non-chili%20foods%20at%20the%20chili%20cook%20off.%20Still%20we%20managed%20it,%20enjoying%20a%20delicacy%20called%20%22Pig%20Candy%22%20(candied%20bacon%20on%20a%20stick%20made%20by%20Bristol's%20%22Pumpkin%20Roll%20Lady%22),%20and%20another%20called,%20%22Cheesy%20Balls%22%20(pulled%20pork%20rolled%20in%20dirty%20rice,%20deep-fried%20and%20topped%20with%20cheese%20sauce,%20one%20of%20many%20offerings%20from%20B.T.'s%20Smokehouse%20of%20Sturbridge,%20MA).%20Both%20were%20what%20festival%20food%20is%20made%20of%20-%20gloriously%20and%20deliciously%20decadent%20in%20every%20way.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EWe%20spent%20some%20time%20with%20old%20friends%20at%20the%20Onyx%20Moonshine%20booth%20and%20enjoyed%20the%20company%20of%20new%20friend%20and%20fellow%20judge%20%22George%22%20while%20we%20waited%20for%20the%20red%20chili%20judging%20to%20commence.%20Finally%20it%20was%20time,%20and%20suddenly,%20there%20was%20an%20air%20of%20severity%20to%20the%20festivities.%20We%20met%20several%20World%20Chili%20Champions,%20including%20the%20current%20one%20Bob%20Plager,%20who%20were%20on%20site%20to%20judge%20the%20cook%20off.%20They%20all%20seemed%20happy%20to%20share%20some%20secrets%20-%20the%20inside%20scoop%20on%20the%20politics%20of%20the%20chili%20circuit%20(who%20knew?),%20differences%20in%20regional%20tastes,%20and%20tips%20on%20better%20judging,%20as%20well%20as%20their%20own%20champion%20recipes.%20Bob's%20secret%20ingredient?%20Two%20prunes!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThis%20round,%20Chris%20pulled%20the%20semi-final%20folder,%20while%20Amy%20got%20the%20most%20envied%20spot%20of%20the%20day%20-%20judging%20the%20final%20table%20for%20red%20chili.%20So%20what%20were%20we%20looking%20for%20in%20a%20winning%20red%20chili,%20exactly?%20It's%20no%20secret,%20as%20the%20ICS%20makes%20it%20all%20quite%20clear%20on%20their%20website.%20First%20-%20what%20is%20considered%20a%20red%20chili?%20Traditional%20Red%20Chili%20is%20defined%20by%20the%20International%20Chili%20Society%20as%20any%20kind%20of%20meat%20or%20combination%20of%20meats,%20cooked%20with%20red%20chili%20peppers,%20various%20spices%20and%20other%20ingredients,%20with%20the%20exception%20of%20beans%20and%20pasta%20which%20are%20strictly%20forbidden.%20Again,%20who%20knew?%20After%20that%20are%20the%20five%20judging%20criteria:%20First%20and%20foremost,%20of%20course,%20is%20the%20taste,%20or%20blend%20of%20flavors.%20Next%20is%20consistency,%20followed%20by%20aroma,%20color,%20and%20finally,%20bite%20(i.e.%20the%20spicy%20heat).%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ETasting%20the%20wide%20variances%20in%20each%20cup%20of%20both%20salsa%20and%20red%20chili%20was%20a%20truly%20eye-opening%20experience%20and%20we%20had%20such%20a%20fun%20time%20doing%20it.%20It%20was%20a%20fantastic%20day%20outside,%20we%20were%20surrounded%20by%20good%20food%20and%20foodies,%20and%20we%20loved%20every%20minute!%20Thanks%20to%20%22Mad%20Mike,%22%20the%20organizer%20of%20the%20NERCC,%20for%20inviting%20us%20and%20we%20sure%20hope%20we%20get%20to%20do%20it%20again!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ETo%20find%20out%20more%20about%20the%20New%20England%20Regional%20Chili%20Cook%20Off%20(including%20a%20list%20of%20this%20year's%20winners),%20go%20here:%20http://www.chilict.com/%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EFor%20more%20information%20about%20the%20International%20Chili%20Society,%20including%20cook%20off%20information,%20current%20and%20past%20World%20Champions,%20and%20award-winning%20recipes,%20go%20here:%20http://www.chilicookoff.com/%3C/p%3E){kind=link}