By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
More than the chili was spicy at the annual chili cook-off during Bowling Green’s Winter Fest BG Chillabration Saturday. The competition was salty as well.
Armed with plastic spoons and scorecards, the amateur judges taste tested the 15 entries. They found savory chili, sweet chili, vegan chili, sizzling spicy chili, and a few soups.
The crockpot competitors took the cook-off very seriously – with some revealing their secret ingredients and others being tight-lipped about their concoctions.
The hottest chili by far was Bruce Kidder’s spicy entry, which made noses run and mouths burn. His recipe included a healthy dose of peppers he grew himself at the community garden at Peace Lutheran Church. Included were habanero peppers, gator peppers, death spiral peppers, Trinidad scorpion peppers and ghost peppers.
“They’ll feel the heat,” Kidder said. But for those who have a higher tolerance for heat, he put out some extra pepper powder that could be spooned on top.
“There’s a reason why that spoon is small,” he said with a grin.
To help soothe sizzling palates, Bruce and Anne Kidder provided corn muffins, cheddar biscuits and sourdough rolls.
Some recipes were far from secret – such as the Kiwanis Club’s entry called “The Mayor’s Favorite Chili,” with cards printed up with the recipe from former mayor Dick Edwards. Kiwanis member Jason Miller said new Mayor Mike Aspacher gave the recipe his blessing.
“I ran it by Mike, and he was good with it,” Miller said.
All the fixings were donated by Kiwanis members.
“It’s made with love – so that’s probably the secret ingredient,” Miller said. Well, that and the beer bread. “You can’t go wrong with the beer bread.”
Some individuals dared to compete, like Paul Obringer, who revealed his chili recipe uses hot sausage and V8 juice.
“I won’t give everything away,” Obringer said. He offered his chili “naked,” or with added toppings of oyster crackers, sour cream and cheese.
Some businesses competed, including Qdoba, which came stocked with its signature tortilla soup. It’s vegan, but can be served “loaded” with seasoned chicken, tortilla chips, sour cream and shredded cheese, Anita Flores said.
Across the room was another veggie chili competitor, Ahmed Ghadban.
“He just gave us the look,” Flores said good naturedly.
In another corner of the room, some cooks resorted to trash-talking their competition. The cook-off had barely begun, and John Roberts Zibbel, of the Bowling Green Independent News entry, already had to put $20 into the “cussin’ jar.”
At a nearby table, Laura Landry Meyer of the Pember Grove entry, jokingly made accusations about Zibbel smuggling in Russian paprika from Ukraine for his chili. And Meyer questioned the legality of vote rigging by competitors who lured support by offering items such as muffins and chocolate.
“We’re bringing a platter of bacon next time,” she said, smiling.
Voters followed their stomachs, with many people taking advantage of Dixie cups of water to cleanse their palates in between samples. “And to cool down,” said Mary Boone. “Mostly to cool down, I think.”
Roger Anderson, of Bowling Green, was working on his fourth sample – hopeful that he would make it to all 15.
“I like to support the organizations” not to mention get to taste a variety of chilis, he said. “I like it somewhat spice. Not too spicy.”
Becca Ferguson, of Bowling Green, was calming her tastebuds with the chicken lemon soup from Kabob It after trying Kidder’s spicy chili.
“That kind of fried me,” she said.
Ferguson’s favorite was the Kiwanis Club’s entry – explaining that her Kiwanis membership in no way swayed her opinion.
Martha Jewell, of Bowling Green, was just on her seventh sample and was already feeling stuffed. “That’s the problem, I’m getting full,” she said.
“This is fantastic,” she said about the cook off. “It’s great to see so many people.”
Kathy East was trying to be nice to all the cooks in her assessment of the competition.
“I think they’re all winners. I love food,” she said. However, she did note some partiality for Ann Kidder’s soup made with homemade noodles.
Milli Corey, of Michigan, made a gallant effort but was one shy of trying all 15 entries. “I’m full,” she said. Each year she comes down to Bowling Green for the cook-off with her friend Kathy Wittman, of Haskins.
Corey’s preference was for spicy chili.
“Chili shouldn’t be sweet. It should be savory,” she said.
But at a nearby table, Steve Williams had a different opinion. He made sure to come on an empty stomach so he would be able to sample all the entries.
“I really enjoyed the Pember Grove one. It had a little sweetness to it. You don’t see that much.”
Winners in each category are as follows:
Business/organization chili:
- First – BG Independent News: All the Chili That’s Fit to Eat
- Second – BG Kiwanis: The Mayor’s Favorite Chili
- Third – Pember Grove: Bestest Chili Ever
- Other contestants were William Peet/Transamerica, and Maumee Senior Center.
Business/organization soup:
- First – Qdoba Mexican Eats: Loaded Tortilla Soup
- Second – Wood County Committee on Aging: Best Ever Soup?
- Third – Naslada Bistro: Mini Meatball Soup
- Other contestant was Kabob It!
Individual chili:
- First – Ahmed Ghadban: Veggie Chili
- Second – Paul Obringer: Chili Cravings
- Third – Ken Miller: Chili Nation
- Other contestants were Bruce and Anne Kidder.
Individual soup:
- First – Bruce and Anne Kidder: Beef Noodle Soup
- Other contestant was Becky Caracol.
(Full disclosure: This reporter is related to all the winners in the business/organization chili category – co-owner with David Dupont of BG Independent News; family of Pember Grove entry by Tom Oberhouse and Laura Landry Meyer; and member of BG Kiwanis Club.)
