Submitted story

On Saturday, Sept. 28, contestants will be firing up their kettles and creating their best chili in hopes of taking home the top prize of $1,000 during the 17th Annual Simon Kenton Chili Cook-Off Festival.

This year’s festival is in memory of Beth Adair, longtime Chili festival leader.

Committee member Amy Armstrong has put together a team of “chili connoisseurs” to do the judging, including Matt Davis of Abuela’s Kitchen, Tina Knotts of Let’s Eat Cake, Amy Forrest of In Good Taste Market and local chili experts Nick Redavide and Ethan Headlee.

Judging is not just a matter of tasting, but rather a process of scoring based on five criteria.

1. Aroma: Chili should have an inviting aroma which gives you an idea of what to expect when tasting.

2. Color: Chili should look appetizing – it should have a clear, crisp appearance.

3. Taste: The most important factor. The taste should consist of the combination of any meat, peppers, spices, etc., with no particular ingredient being overpowering, but rather complementing one another. Texture is important as well as the blend of spices.

4. Bite: or after taste is the heat created by the various types of peppers and spices. The chili should not be so spicy that it would burn the tongue which would destroy the ability to taste the separate components of the chili.

5. Consistency: Chili must have a good proportion of ingredients: sauce, beans, meat, veggies etc. It should not be dry, watery, grainy, lumpy or greasy.

The chili contestants turn in for judging are double-blind sampled to ensure there is no way the judges know whose chili they are eating.

Points are scored in each category and the chili earning the highest number of total points is the winner.

All scoring and calculations are double checked for accuracy and the results are confidential until announced at the main tent.

Variations in the strength of the ingredients used such as peppers, tomatoes, spice freshness and concentrations, etc. make every pot of chili taste different. The recipe might be the same as you cooked last year, but ultimately all these factors can change the taste of the chili. Judging is a complicated process and can take several hours.

We appreciate the judges taking time to help.

The audience can participate in judging their favorite chili by purchasing beads at the information tent on Church Street and dropping them in the container at the booth that created their favorite chili. Beads are later gathered, counted, and the booth with the most beads wins. The “Peoples Choice Chili” winner earns a trophy and bragging rights.

The festival includes other contests, including a best salsa contest, a best decorated booth contest plus a corn hole tournament, music, children’s activities and lots of great food.

For more info check our Facebook page: The Simon Kenton Chili Festival & Hoopla Parade.

You’ll also find information there on joining the parade, cooking chili or being a vendor.

Submitted by event organizers