Chilly weather makes for good chili eating

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The chill in the air made it a perfect day for chili. Pat Jones of the Sauk Valley Bank chili-cooking team said the steaming pot of chili she was stirring contained pork, ham, steak and chicken. The secret, she said, is cooking the meats on the grill first, then building the chili. Sauk Valley Bank was one of nine entrants in the ninth annual United Way Chili Cookoff held Saturday outside Community State Bank in Rock Falls.

Sean Gerdy, head grill master for the J.C. Penney team, said his secret is using home-grown vegetables fresh from the garden along with beef sirloin tips.

The large vats of chili simmering under the tents circling the grassy area next to the bank contained ingredients that would make diehard chili pundits sit up and take notice. Chili no longer is just hamburger, chili beans and tomatoes, and there were just about as many white chilies as brown.

The People's Choice Award went to the Sauk Valley White Tails team, whose chili was made with deer meat.

Those who stopped by the cookoff and donated $5 each for a wrist band allowing unlimited tasting from all the pots, voted for the people's choice by dropping another donation into the jug at their favorite chili tent.

The White Tails' jug gathered more than $180 for

the cause.

The White Tails took second place in the competition last year with their prize-winning recipe put together by Derrick Lamb and Kent Bushman, who declined to share their secrets. They did disclose that it was an "exact science" right down to the ounce.

Community State Bank took first place in Saturday's competition; Frantz Manufacturing placed second; and Smeltzer Insurance went home with third place.

Each winner received a trophy.

Russell Siefken Jr., executive director of the United Way of Whiteside County, which sponsors of the competition, said the chili cookoff raised "a little over $1,500."

"Pretty good for about five hours work," he said.

Siefken said he was happy to have nine entries, six of them new this year.

"It fluctuates every year," he said. "Last year we had seven, so we were up. When the mill was here we had the most, 12 teams. We appreciate the turnout. They go to a lot of work and they have to buy all the ingredients and that gets expensive. They have to provide their own tent and some of them like to decorate."

Siefken said most of the pots were dry at the end of the event and a couple were empty before the cookoff was over. Each team was required to make at least 3 gallons.

The chili chefs began at 7 a.m. and cooked until 11, then handed out samples until 1 p.m. or until they ran out of chili. All booths had to meet the strict requirements of the health department and, Siefken said, "They are required to taste their own chili before the judges taste it."

As the chili cookoff was going on, other agencies on the grounds provided activities for the kids such as crafts and games.

Community State Bank, who also provided all the chairs and tables and a room for the judges, sponsored a Halloween Costume Contest which brought out everything from a baby butterfly to a monkey from the Wizard of Oz.