Hot Fun

     My culinary curiosity led me to Galveston, Texas for a chili festival this past weekend.  It is both a coastal city and a 208 square mile island just off the mainland in the Gulf of Mexico.  Galveston was established in 1825 by the Congress of Mexico after that nation successfully gained its independence from Spain.  Later it became the capital of the Republic of Texas, an independent nation of its own.   Now a part of the United States it continues to be a major commercial center and the third largest US port.  In 1900 a hurricane devastated Galveston with flooding and high winds.  That event still ranks as the deadliest natural disaster in US history killing over 6,000 people.

     The Chili Quest was held in The Strand National Historic District, a downtown location made up of Victorian era commercial and residential buildings referred to simply as "The Strand."  While chili was the main draw there were a number of other events also taking place during the day.  There was a 5K run, a margarita making contest, jalapeno eating and an interesting sport called washer tossing.  Teams from near and far signed up to compete in creating two categories of chili.  First there was the "regular" variety in which each team was given 10 pounds of ground meat.  Then teams were permitted to be creative in the "exotic" category.  In addition, there was a third award handed out for showmanship.

 



     By paying an advance registration fee I was given a small cup and a plastic spoon.  I then walked along the rows competitors to do some tasting of the more than 80 teams who came to win.  It was a friendly rivalry among teams with names like Chili Belles, Mystery Meat, & Hillbilly Chili.  The folks were pretty laid back, except when I inquired about their own blend of spices used to concoct their chili.  "If I told you, I'd have to kill you," was the response I received from one cook.  And there was quite a range of taste profiles, from loose and soupy to thick and smoky.  And when it came to the exotic, the sky was the limit.  Ingredients included wild boar, salsa verde, Axis deer and pulled pork.  My personal favorite was a chili made with a combination of shredded chicken, habenaro and mango.  It was hot and sweet both at the same time.

 



     And here are the team winners!

Regular Chili
     1. Socially Okra'd
     2. Tramonte Reality
     3. Bums of BBQ

Exotic Chili
     1. Always in Heat
     2. KC Drunk Chicken
     3. Whatcha Smokin'

Showmanship 
     1. Bayou Girls