SUNDAY - September 10, 2006

Michigan State - Leo Buk

Chili Cooks.
If you are going to cook in the Great Lakes Regional (first for 07) on Oct.1st but you still need to qualify for or get that Triple Crown for the 2006 World Cook-off This is your last chance.

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Sept 30th is the 28th Michigan State and Pat Wilhite Memorial Chili Cook-off held at Biker Bob's Motown Harley on Telegraph Rd in Taylor Mich. Set up is at 9:00, Verde starts at 11:00, Red starts at 12:00. Tropies and cash will be awarded to the winners.

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For more information contact Leo at 734-231-0618 Hope to see you at the cook-off.

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An Off Weekend in Southern CA. - Karen Ray

There was not a sanctioned chili cookoff this weekend in Southern California. Oh, my! What will we do! Oh, no problem; Barry and Sylvia Steinberg are having their practice cookoff. We can go there.

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This annual practice chili cookoff (read party!) is always held the weekend after Labor Day weekend. The venue is Barry and Sylvia's backyard patio and yard. It is always well attended by Southern CA chilifolks and friends, neighbors and relatives of the Steinbergs. Since the beginning, Ray Little has been the Chief Judge and his companion, Mary Ellen Weber, the Scorekeeper. Ray's passing last May made this a bit of a bittersweet occasion, and many fond memories of Ray were shared throughout the day, along with some tears and some smiles. Mary Ellen was on hand to do her scorekeeping job for the new Chief Judge, Claude Covington.

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People began arriving for the party at about 7:30 am on Saturday. When all the cooks had assembled there were four Chili Verde contestants and seven people cooked Traditional Red Chili. Practicing Chili Verde were Karen Ray, Patricia Sanchez, Barry Steinberg and Maud Swick. The diehard red cooks were Bob Dyer, Mike Ford, Irene Menchaca, Bill Ray, Armando Sanchez, Barry Steinberg and George Swick. Of this group, only Irene Menchaca has not yet qualified for the World's Championship. She said that she was practicing for the Last Chance Cookoff! And, just like a lot of other chili cookoffs, Norma Ferrante was on hand to document the day on film.

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As always, Barry and Sylvia's hospitality was outstanding. They provided not only the venue but also all of the beverages for the day---water, soda, and beer (alcoholic and non). The guests (cooks and others) brought "appetizers" which ranged from Bill Ray's ribs and Jim Beaty's pulled pork to cheese platters, dips and chips, fruit plates and an outstanding shrimp cocktail from Ken and Jan Brown.

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As the day progressed and everybody ate and drank, the chilis were turned in for judging. Right after the turn-in the chilis are judged by the cooks. This is the "preliminary table". It doesn't count for anything, but it's fun to judge your own chili and to see how your peers rate it and to get their comments. The "final table" is then judged by the other guests to determine the winners for the day. Special guest judges were Dana and John from Malibu. Dana is the Chair of the Malibu Kiwanis back-to-back Regionals on Labor Day weekend. She kindly gave some of her leftover supplies to Barry and Sylvia to help out with their party. Among the ICS folks who came to judge and to party were Susie Baumberger, Jim and Eileen Beaty, Ken and Jan Brown, Celia "Tootie" Gray, Paul and Elizabeth Laroche, Jim Rasey and Dave Thomas. They were joined at the judging tables by the other partygoers, so the chilis were very thoroughly sampled and rated.

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As if we had not had enough to eat already, after the judging we were invited into Barry and Sylvia's family room where they had set out a table loaded with sandwich fixins, accompanied by salads and side dishes and desserts furnished by the guests. No one could walk away from this party saying they weren't fed well!

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Oh, yes, there were winners of the contests, all of whom will be at the World's Championship in Omaha next month. And the winners were:

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Chili Verde:

3rd, Karen Ray

2nd, Barry Steinberg

1st, Maud Swick

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Traditional Red Chili:

3rd, Bob Dyer

2nd, Irene Menchaca

1st, Armando Sanchez

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Thanks, Barry and Sylvia, for a fun and satisfying day!

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