Dick's Chili World: MONDAY

HEMET, CA DISTRICT

It was late March when we found out that there was going to be a District cookoff at the Hemet Auto Mall on April 25th. With the Conejo Valley Regional cookoff scheduled for its traditional date, April 26th, it seemed like a daunting task to pull together enough cooks for a good event for the sponsors, The Gosch Auto Group. Mike and Kathy Stewart immediately agreed to be Chief Judge and Scorekeeper. With the help of email and the ICS, the Chairman, Jack Rein, was able to do a good job of communicating with the Southern California Cooks about this cookoff.

Jack had originally hoped to hold sanctioned cookoffs both Saturday and Sunday. However, with the Conejo Valley Regional scheduled for that particular Sunday, ICS was unable to sanction his event on Sunday. He went ahead with the plan for a Sunday cookoff, making it, instead, a Pro/Am event. Great prize money was offered for both days, so there was a good incentive for the cooks to turn out. The cookoffs were in conjunction with a heavily-advertised car sale, featuring 300 bank-owned vehicles on which a prospective buyer could bid, with a minimum bid of only $55.00. A good crowd was expected to sample the People's Choice Chili supplied by the cooks for the benefit of the weekend's charity, Valleywide Recreation Services of the Hemet/San Jacinto area.

Saturday's activities were further enhanced by a huuuuuuuuge car show across the street at the Chevrolet dealer. When we arrived to set up our chili booth at about 7:30 Saturday morning, we were surprised to see classic cars beginning to arrive shortly after us. Someone told us that there was to be a car show and that they hoped to have 70 to 80 cars. Our chili booth was positioned so we could hear the fellow who was checking in the cars talking to them as they arrived. At one point, later in the morning, we heard him say "You're number 135, and we're making space for you right now." And the cars kept coming and coming and coming! There were classics and antiques and hotrods and kit cars and what had to be a whole Corvette club. You name it, there was probably one there!

Cookoff Chairmen take note: The charity of the weekend, Valleywide Recreation, really supported the event being held on their behalf. On Saturday the chili cooks were introduced to the Volleyball Team from the Hemet High School, who had volunteered to help with the cookoff. The kids came to our various chili booths and introduced themselves, saying that they were there to help us in any way they could. What a great group of young men! Most of us had the idea to have them participate in handing out the People's Choice Chili for us.

That was not to be, however, as the first and only bad note of the day happened at 11:00 when the Health Department showed up with their clipboards and thermometers and rules. After they had checked every booth, the primary violation that could not be overcome was the fact that they wanted screening around three sides of every cooking booth. Even that worked out OK. Jim Rasey had come with three screen sides for his booth. He loaned them to the Valleywide Recreation booth, which enabled us to move all of the People's Choice Chili to that location. The young people volunteering on behalf of the charity then gathered there and proceeded to hand out the chili to the hungry public. While we lost the fun of interacting with the public and "soliciting" their votes, the charity was still able to make some money for the day.

Saturday's sanctioned cookoff attracted a complement of ten excellent Southern California cooks and one excellent Nevada cook. Not bad for short notice! As I said previously, the prize money was excellent, and the same for each day. First place was $500 CASH AND A CAR! Second place was $250; third was $150; and fourth was $100. Second through fourth places also received a two-night stay in Las Vegas or multiple other resort cities. The cars, by the way, were really nice. Both were what the car folks call a "diamond"---one-owner, low-mileage, locally-owned and very, very clean. Saturday's car was a 1998 Buick Century valued at $2,500 to $3,000. Sunday's was a 1997 Buick LeSabre valued at $2,000.

Other then the above, this was just an ordinary District chili cookoff. Thanks to the judges who came to support Mike and Kathy and the cooks. They were Mike Austin, Tony Austin, Claude Covington, Steve and Linda Porter, their friends Bob and Burnie, and Bill Woodring. The cooks were Trudi Baker-Reed, Red Brecke, Sachiko Brecke, Mike Ford, Marty Leitner, Dennnis Macklin, Mary Nicoll, Jim Rasey, Bill Ray, Patricia Sanchez and Dave Thomas. And the winners were:

People's Choice Chili: Patricia Sanchez

Traditional Red Chili:

4th, Jim Rasey

3rd, Red Brecke

2nd, Bill Ray, who lost the tiebreaker to

1st, Sachiko Brecke, who donated her car to the Susan Komen Foundation for Breast Cancer Research

Sunday's cookoff went well, although only five cooks competed. Mike and Kathy Stewart returned to help with the judging along with Claude Covington. There were two cooks from Orange County and one local cook, joined by Marty Leitner and Tony Austin (Mike and Maria's son). Although Mike was there, he did not judge, nor did he help Tony with his chili beyond giving him a recipe and some pointers. Mike says that he spent the day in the lounge, watching NASCAR at Talledegah. Sunday's winners were:

2nd, Marty Leitner

1st, Tony Austin

LANCASTER CALIFORNIA CHILI SHOWDOWN

It should have read as follows:

Prize Money
First-Place Red Chili $1000
Second Place $300
Third Place $100

Chili Verde
First-Place $400
Second Place $200
Third Place $100

Salsa
First-Place $100
Second Place $50

People's Choice Chili Required

Cookoff Chairman: Mark Davey &
Susie Baumberger Sister Celia " Tootie "
Chief Scorekeeper: Donnie Gordon
Chief Judge: Capt. Jim Maehl

Mark Davey: mdavey@avfcu.org
Capt. Jim: chiliheadjim@aol.com

Check out their website at http://www.thechilishowdown.com/

Sorry for the confusion, Capt. Jim

36th Annual California State

Chiliheads, For those of you planning to attend the 36th Annual California State Chili Championship and 5th Annual Inland Empire Menudo Championship. We have found a great place to stay. It is close to The National Orange Show, and within walking distance to 18 restaurants. To name a few, El Torito's, Red Lobster, IHOP, Black Angus, Chili's, Outback, T.G.I.F., Sizzlers and CoCo's

Ask for the Chili rate $59.00 plus tax. Single or double occupancy. This price is good for Friday and Saturday nights. Children under 18 stay free.

La Quinta Inns & Suites

205 E. Hospitality Lane.

San Bernardino, Ca. 92408

1-909-888-7571

1-909-884-3864

lq0570agm@laquinta.com

The hotel amenities include the following.

Free high speed internet

Heated outside pool

27" TV's, AT&T long distance access

Free parking, movies on demand, 24 hour coffee in lobby, complimentary "First light breakfast" in the lobby. In room coffee maker, Free access to health club, offsite.

Smoking and non-smoking rooms available.

Remember to mention the Chili Cookoff Rate.

Thanks, and travel safely

Mike "ughlee" Austin

36th Annual California State Chili Championship

and

5th Annual Inland Empire Menudo Championship

May 5th 2009

The Friends Of San Bernardino City Parks is presenting this event, along with many sponsors, Walker Foods (El Pato), Wal-Mart Stores, Smart and Final Stores, Juanita's Foods, Dolores Chili and Ed Scott of O'leary's Bar in Rialto. Please say "thank you" to them if you would please. Sponsors are hard to find as most of you Chairman know. We are expecting great 80 degree weather with partly clouding. You will be cooking on grass and some shaded areas. It should be a great show. We are expecting a lot of new chili cooks (ICS and OPEN). I know you ICS pros will help with any questions they may have. I wanted to remind everyone to come in through gate #7 on south Arrowhead Ave. between 7AM and 10AM. Since we are expecting lots of cooks please unload and go park as quickly as possible. Keep things flowing. There will be security at the gate, probably asking about any alcohol your bringing in. Please put your refreshments in the bottom of your ice chests and remember to bring a recipe along that includes that alcohol. Have the recipe handy just incase they ask for proof. Please cooperate with them. Please bring cups for your refreshments and be discreet about the consuption of it. We may want to come back again, if everyone likes the venue. The National Orange Show folks are not used to Family Friendly Shows. They book alot of concerts and are guarded. We will have lots of food vendors, craft vendors and jumpers for the kids. There will be an all age Karaoke contest, a live band on the second stage, Maraichi's, Santa Fe Drifters Western Stuntman Team, Folklorico Dancers, Miss Chili Pepper, Mr. Hot Sauce, Shoot and Holler and the Chili Eating Contest.

PLEASE BRING YOUR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS (2a 10 BC) size.

Please enter on line if possible through the ICS, chilicookoff.com website.

Thank You

Mike "Ughlee" Austin

Chili Chairman

http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/2167310/

http://www.chilicookoff.com/

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