We had a wonderful weekend in the Houston area visiting with old friends and new friends. We also got perspective on the weather. After three days in the Houston humidity. 95 degrees felt downright cool when we got home yesterday afternoon.

Thursday night was a cookoff at Traders’ Village that was staged for the Texas Festivals and Events Association. The cookoff was complete with chili, margaritas, bands, and a visit from some Houston Art Cars (see below).























Special thanks to Don Hoy for helping us get our gear to and from our camp spot which was 600 yards from where we cooked.

Friday morning, we headed over to Pasadena for their Moose Lodge cookoff. Much to our happy surprise, the Moose let us all plug in for the weekend and save our generators. Air conditioning was not an option.

The Moose cookoff had a lot of relaxed visiting, lunch from Karin and Mayo, left-over margaritas, karaoke, and darts. What more do you need?

Thanks to everyone for these two great cookoffs.

RESULTS and UPCOMINGS

“Field of Dreams Forever
SHANNON IL—For the last fifteen years, Lion's Park in western Illinois' Shannon has been home to the KCBS Illinois State Barbecue Championship. CASI has been a part of that with a chili cookoff for twelve years. Event organizer, Mike Lake, is retiring from the cookoff to devote more time to cooking barbecue and KCBS refereeing. The future of this event is in doubt. If this was the last BBQ/chili cookoff in Shannon, it went out on a high note. The cookoff has produced many, many fond memories, and seen several notable cooks participate. Susan Dean has cooked there (yeah, Alan too). ICS champions, Jim and Georgia Weller have cooked there. Current ICS World Champion, Maureen Barrett cooked this year.
We are hopeful someone will pick up the event, and chili will continue for Shannon. We are hopeful we can report results from this cookoff a year from now. But, life changes and we have to change with it; nothing lasts forever. We've had a great 12-year partnership with Mike and the Shannon barbecue. The memories will last.

CHILI
1. Randy Metz, Lombard IL
2. Bret Centers, Lisle IL (Q'd)
3. Maureen Barrett, Willow Springs IL
4. Bert Centers, Lisle IL
5. Kathy Martin, Huntley IL
6. Cheryl Pierson, Batavia IL
7. Scott Barrett, Willow Springs IL
8. Gloria Molitor, St. Charles IL
9. Bill Pierson, Batavia IL
10. Patrick Gustafson, Chicago IL

SHOW
1. Patrick Gustafson, Chicago IL
2. Bill Pierson, Batavia IL
3. John Gastaldello, Downers Grove IL
(Bill Pierson)

“Following the ever annoying trend of another chili cooking day in the rain, the 1st annual Rawhide Rustle which took place in Olathe, Kansas saw Lee Kroencke win another cook off. Again proving that chili is growing in Kansas, this was our 8th CASI cook off in this calendar year with 6 more scheduled to take place. Cecila Rivera and Cindy Stovall won 2 pair of tickets in our raffle to the Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers concert which takes place this Tuesday. Erwin Clark won the 50/50 cooks pot and promptly donated it back to the charity (MDA). A special thanks to Harold Distler from the Central HOG chapter for coordinating this wonderful event and to Rawhide Harley Davidson.

1st Lee Kroencke; Lenexa, KS
2nd Kevin Stovall; Lee's Summit, MO
3rd Cecila Rivera; Lenexa, KS
4th Peggy Kirk-Velasquez; Kansas City, KS
5th Larry Velasquez; Mission, KS
6th Walker Smith; Coffey, MO
7th Margo Smith; Coffey, MO
8th Shelley Kroencke; Lenexa, KS
9th Julie Wiedner; Windsor, MO
10th Wayne (Peabody) Hedrick; Leawood, KS (1st time cook)

SHOWMANSHIP
1st Hell, Fire and Brimstone; Margo Smith
2nd Chipotlehead Chili; Kevin Stovall
3rd Jalapeno Honey; Julie Wiedner”
(Larry Velasquez)

POTPOURRI

“We are the people our parents warned us about.” - Jimmy Buffett

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