Sorry, we’re late today. Much needed rain came to central Texas this morning and the heavy cloud cover disrupted my Internet service.

NEWS

Vicki Blackburn (CUT Pod Great Pepper) lost her mother last week. Please keep Vicki in your thoughts and prayers.

RESULTS and UPCOMINGS

“A Tale of Two Cookoffs

I hope you will take the time to read this as it demonstrates what you can do if you find yourself at a cookoff with no hope of getting enough cooks to sanction it. It sure beat packing up and going home!

What a difference a day makes.

Saturday was a scheduled cookoff at the Dallas Heritage Village in Old City Park. This is a historical park with buildings circa 1880 – 1920 that are fully restored and authentic. We were set up on the brick Main Street next to a beautiful fountain and steps away from the historic downtown storefronts. They had a live band (Merry and the Mood Swings) and the Trinity River Desperados, a wild-west reenactment group with authentic clothing and a gun fight at high noon. Michelle Davis, Director of the Village and cookoff promoter, went to great lengths to make sure everything was in place for her first chili cookoff. We only had one problem…four CASI cooks showed up! Gary Brignon and Dr. Ray Calhoun also came, but since Doc was still chasing points we agreed they should head out to another event to try for those points. Not sure why we had such a small turnout, but it was what it was.

Michelle had gone to the trouble of lining up judges to come out and taste chili. The four of us (Roger Foltz, Sherree Duncan, Tina and I) decided to make the best of a bad situation. We scraped together as much chili as we could and managed to put 15 cups of chili on the judging table (half-full and combined as we could). This way, we made sure the folks that came out to taste chili had the opportunity. They all had a great time, said the chili was great, and looked forward to next year. They were curious, however, how there were so many cups of chili with so few cooks. When I explained what we had done, they were all appreciative. It was also the first time I ever placed 1st, 2nd and 4th at the same cookoff! Needless to say, I will not be expecting any points from this event!

To see photos from the Heritage Village event, go to http://sep192009chili.shutterfly.com.

Sunday brought the annual installment of the State Fair of Texas Cookoff. This year was a little different as it was held the weekend before the fair opens, instead of the opening weekend. Our turnout was down from 60-70 to 31. The cooks who came did receive free admission and parking passes to come back during the fair. I want to thank Doris Coats, Babs Johnson, my lovely bride Tina, Michael Burke and Dwayne Price for helping with table monitoring and tally.

Here are the results:

Chili
1. Tom Dozier – Irving
2. Alisa Carlson – Garland
3. Doris Coats – Irving
4. Ray Calhoun – Waxahachie
5. Ron Baker – Ennis
6. Babs Johnson – Irving
7. Bob Coats – Irving
8. Dwayne Price – Roanoke
9. Susan Spencer – Irving
10. Gary Brignon – Ennis

Show
1. American Legion Family – Karen Ducote – Bedford
2. Garza Boyz Chili Team – Ramiro Garza – Ft. Worth
3. The Texicans – Jack Balderson – Ft. Worth

Final Table
Geraldine Resnick (First-ever Final Table)
Karen Ducote (First-ever Final Table)
Brian McDonough
Morris Moss
Wilton Haynes (First-ever Final Table)
J.E. “Shorty” Odle
Cynthia Tune
Bill Sweigart”
(Ron Barnes)

POTPOURRI

Happy Birthday to Jan Windrow. Happy Anniversary to Bill and Cheryl Pierson.

“After two years in Washington, I often long for the realism and sincerity of Hollywood.” - Fred Thompson

News items and pictures for the CHN can be emailed to pepperdean@ctesc.net