The Central Arkansas POD of the Chili Appreciation Society International is holding an open chili cookoff this Saturday out at Pulaski Tech’s South Campus. You ever compete in a chili competition before? If you cook mean, beef-based no-beans Terlingua style chili, you should. You get out there in the morning and you make your chili up from scratch — on your own stove with your own ingredients and such. You have a couple of hours to do it in. While you’re working up your own secret recipe, you chat with the other contenders. Friendships are forged. Chili samples are shared. You get pointers here and there.
Then you turn in your best sample in a provided cup and it’s judged against all the other chilis… and a winner is chosen. This person qualifies to represent at the International Championship Chili Cookoff in Terlingua. I plan to make that journey one of these days….
I digress. Even if you don’t make chili, you want to go. Tasting cups are sold and you go from booth to booth trying some of the best chili you’ve ever had in your life. It’s something else.
As I was mentioning, it’s being held at PTC South Campus out in the parking lot. It’s $25 to enter. When I get healthy again I do plan to whip up some of my Mad Kat chili and go compete again. It’s a heck of a lot of fun. For more information contact Lee Bailey at (501) 831-2221 or Bruce Smith at (501)312-8715 or check out the Facebook event page.