SUNDAY - Dec 7, 2008

South Mississippi Regional

PASCAGOULA -- Cooks from eight states cooked up their secret recipes on Saturday to compete for the regional championship title at the 2nd Annual South Mississippi Regional Championship Chili Cook-Off in Pascagoula.

The annual event is sponsored by the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce and sanctioned by the International Chili Society.

The Jackson County Chamber of Commerce parking lot was lined with 21 chili cookers, tables and tents with the aroma of jalapeño peppers, onions and spicy sauces drawing the public in for a taste.

All winners of the ICS-sanctioned cookoffs qualify to compete for cash prizes and awards at the 2009 World's Championship Chili Cookoff.

Chili cookers competed for the red chili title and there was also a salsa competition that had no rules other than the recipe had to be good.

"We just picked ordinary people who like chili and like food to judge the chili and salsa," said Bob Hall, head judge of the International Chili Society.

"They were looking for a lot of things but mainly a robust tasting chili that all blends well together. We found that chefs do not usually make good chili judges because the average person knows what good chili tastes like."

The Jackson County Chamber of Commerce will use the funds from the event for the Explosion of Excellence scholarship honors program. The scholarships are awarded to the top 10 percent of all Jackson County area high school seniors.

"We love coming here to this area because we like the people," said Jim Maturo, of Niceville, Fla.

"People like my chili. It has green peppers, six kinds of chili powder, and a little brown sugar plus a few other things to make it delicious." "My chili has plenty of different spices and just the right amount of heat," said Doug Roy of Clearwater, Fla. "I do not want to make it too hot because I do not want to kill the judges."

Filming the annual chili cook-off was the crew from Modern Marvels, a series featured on the History Channel.

A show entitled "Hot and Spicy" will air on March 3 on the History Channel that will feature the contestants at the Jackson County Chamber's chili cook-off.

"It is interesting that over the past 25 years chili has been kicked up a notch," said Hall.

"Chili, in general, is a lot more spicy than it used to be and especially salsa."

The International Chili Society is a non-profit organization that sanctions chili cookoffs with judging and cooking rules & regulations. These events are world wide and benefit charities or non-profit organizations.

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Winners

Salsa winners,

1st place: Bonnie Tomasek from Colorado.

2nd place: Steve Tomasek III from Colorado

3rd place: John Alexander from Florida.

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People's Choice Award: Richard Alexander from Florida.

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Red Chili winners,

1st place, Going to the World Championships, Jeff Nester from Seymour, Ind.

2nd place, Dearl Thomas from Clinton, Ill.;

3rd place, Doug Roy from Clearwater, Fla

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Norm & Bobbie Gaul NEW Email Address

We have another new email address, it is: chiliahr95@sbcglobal.net please change your address book accordingly. Hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Norm & Bobbie Gaul

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