THURSDAY - December 21, 2006

Back-to-Back Winterfreeze and the Great Forsyth Regional cookoffs

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Cooks need to sign up soon for the Great Forsyth cookoff on Saturday Jan. 13^th and Winterfreeze on Sunday Jan. 14^th to avoid being left out. Both contests feature Red, Verde, and Salsa contests, and total prizes for both days are expected to be about $4,000. The Forsyth Il cookoff is located in Hickory Point mall just off Interstate I-72. Winterfreeze, located in Springfield, IL 45 miles away, will again be in the local KC hall banquet facility, and will feature a new band this year, and NFL football in the adjacent bar. Hugh crowds are expected at both cookoffs. Since there are size limitations at both sites, cooks are urged to sign up soon. For questions please call me at the number below, and I’ll send you an application if you don’t have one already.

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Happy Holidays to all,

Larry Eastep

3920 Surry Place,

Springfield, IL 627111

217 622-3805

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Another Southern California House Party - by Karen Ray

Last Sunday, December 17th, Mike and Bonnie Ford hosted a practice cookoff at their beautiful home in La Mirada, CA. For a week the weatherpersons had predicted that the Northern Pacific storm that hurt the Washington State area would move south for the weekend. NOT!!! Mike asserted early in the week that "it would not rain on his parade", and he was absolutely correct. It was a very nice day, although a jacket day.

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Just in case, Mike had prepared carports and canopies enough to accomodate all of the expected contestants. A few cooks put up their own canopies; most of us took advantage of the furnished accomodations. There was a very nice turnout of cooks and judges for Mike and Bonnie's event, hopefully the first of many Holiday Practice Cookoffs/Parties. Four cooks vied for the Chili Verde title. Would have been five, but yours truly did not get her act together. You don't want to hear the excuses! There were seven red contestants and a goodly number of judges.

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As always at these parties, there was food. The Fords furnished food; everybody who came brought food. We grazed all day, and it was wonderful! There were Christmas gifts and Christmas greetings and much good fellowship. The chili folks are, after all, a very friendly community. Chief Judge was Claude Covington. Chief Scorekeeper was Mary Ellen Weber. She came complete with Bloody Marys, which were very much appreciated!

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The contestants judged their own chili, then the "judges" judged the chili. When the festivities were over the winners were:

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Chili Verde: Bob Dyer

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Traditional Red Chili:

3rd, Mark Hammes

2nd, Bill Ray

1st, Mike Austin

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We are all looking forward to Mike and Bonnie's second annual Holiday Party!

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