MONDAY - July 7, 2008

Check out the ICS Winners Lists,

we now have 21 Hat Trick Winners

and our first Double District ICS World Qualifier in ICS RED

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Firecracker Chili District Cookoff

The first annual Firecracker Chili District Cookoff was held in Ripley, West Virginia this past Saturday, July 5 during the 45^th Mountain State Art and Craft Fair. A small (but lots of fun) group of cooks from the region took advantage of the cookoff to check out crafts from over 130 artists at the fair. Kit Hoff and Tonya Simmons were scene acting like they were Christmas shopping in July. Ten cooks participated in the cookoff and had a great time. Make sure to put this cookoff on your calendar for next year, July 4, 2009, the event is great and so are the fair attendees. Here are the results:

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Traditional Red (7 Cooks)

1^st – Chuck Hoff, OH

2^nd – Tonya Simmons, WV

3^rd – Matt Bush, WV

(Tonya won the second place tie-breaker)

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Salsa (7 Cooks)

1^st – Angela Deiss, WV (First Competition win, Advances to WCCC)

2^nd – Janet Smith, WV

2^nd – Barbara Brumfield, WV

(Event organizers decided on no tie-breaker)

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Joe Stevens

Chief Chili

Firecracker Chili Cookoff

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Smoke on the Water Regional – Charleston West Virginia

To lead off, a note of apology to all the cooks and Committee members for the delay in posting this.

Excuse/reason: after two weeks, plus five trips to the nearest "independent authorized Toshiba repair center" (at roughly $5 in gas per trip with today's prices) I finally have a working notebook. They kept finding "new things to replace" and therefore I practically have a new computer; since it was under extended warranty and it was all on Toshiba's nickel, I wonder…

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That aside, on June 21^st, 2008 the 10^th Annual Smoke on the Water Regional was certainly the biggest and best yet – 54 Red, 32 Verde and 28 Salsa – with the First Prize for Traditional Red being $7,500. Complementing the quantity of cooks was the quality thereof; by my humble estimate, ways "north" of 50% of the competitors were former World Qualifiers, to include a couple of World Champions – Wow!

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Smoke on the Water was founded on the premise of being a "Cooks' Cookoff", and has never deviated from its mission; everything is focused on the cooks and if you've ever cooked there, you know exactly what I mean. The year-long hard work and focus of the committee is reflected everywhere and in every detail – there are just not enough "attaboys" and thank you's possible.

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Festivities kicked off with the Cooks' Party on the top floor of the Headquarters Hotel – Charleston House Holiday Inn – overlooking the river. The cookoff was back at the boulevard (after a one year absence), which is directly in front of the hotel…it cannot get any more convenient and "cook friendly".

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This year, in addition to the fun, fine food and drink at the party, all the founders of the event were individually honored. Then Joe Stevens led an "audience participation", obscure trivia on Smoke on the Water History contest, challenging long time cooks' memories and awarding prizes to those who first remembered correctly – it was great!

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Cookoff day was Chamber of Commerce weather, which in addition to being terrific for the cooks, brought out a huge crowd. The proof is in the pudding, with nearly $10,000 collected for Hospice Care of Charleston – ICS at its best in every respect.

Now for the results:

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Salsa

3^rd Place Heidi Hoover

2^nd Place Julie Nester

1^st Place Tom Hoover

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Chili Verde

3^rd Place Jane Bauer

2^nd Place Julie Nester

1^st Place Jeff Nester

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Traditional Red Chili

3^rd Place Les Walter

2^nd Place Carrie Lentz-Parker

1^st Place Kit Hoff

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For the more observant among the readers, you may be thinking that the judges were either pretty good…or pretty lucky (as Head Chili, I lean toward pretty good; but then I'm naturally biased)

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Checking the winners. To wit: Tom Hoover, Past World Salsa Champion; Jeff Nester, Past World Chili Verde Champion; Kit Hoff 2007 WCCC Traditional Red Finals Table (and 3 time Smoke on the Water Red Champion). Hard to argue with that; but more important: CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!

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In closing, still yet another GREAT JOB and THANK YOU to all the members of the Committee, as well as the City of Charleston for a SUPERB COOKOFF. Mark your calendars for next year – 20 June, 2009.

See you there or perhaps in Snowshoe on July 11^th and 12^th (2008),

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Sergei Kowalchik

Head Chili (Chief Judge)

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IDAHO STATE CHAMPIONSHIP CHILI COOKOFF
SATURDAY JULY 26, 2008
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Come join in the fun in Downtown Mountain Home

(a stone's throw from Boise!)

at the 26th Annual Idaho State Cookoff.

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Carl Miller Park is a GREAT place with lots and lots of HUGE shade trees.
Meet the wonderful hometown and Mountain Home Air Force Base folks at this event.

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All three Events will be ICS WORLD Qualifiers. (we need 7 entries in each category)
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SCHEDULE
Set Up Time
7:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Cooks' Meeting
9:00 a.m. ALL Categories
Chili Verde Preparation
9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Red Chili Preparation
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon
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Cooking and Serving Times for PEOPLES CHOICE CHILI
Start Cooking
8:00 a.m.
Serving
11:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
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Cooking Times
Chili Verde
10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Red Chili
12:00 - 3:00 p.m.
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Awards at approximately 4:30 p.m.
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FOR INFORMATION
Call Charlie Ward at 208-587-4924
travelinwards@q.com

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Montana State

Join us in Manhattan for an event on Broadway; Manhattan, MT, that is! The State chili Cook-off will be held in conjunction with the annual Chamber of Commerce, Potato Festival and State Car Show, August 16, 2008.

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Manhattan is a quiet, but progressive Community nestled in the heart of the Gallatin Valley and surrounded by the majestic, snow capped Bridger mountains and trout filled rivers and streams.

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Plan your vacation here, just 100 miles from the West entrance to Yellowstone National Park and 60 miles from the Big Sky resort down the scenic Gallatin Canyon.

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Enjoy the annual Potato Festival kicking off with the Firemen's Breakfast and Big Sky Carver's tent sale. Be our guests at the barbecue on Friday night.

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For more info contact Bob Wetzel at 406-284-6562 or email Patty at phebner@bresnan.net

Come on down for a great cook off!

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