The 8th annual Broad Ripple Lodge No. 643 Chili Cookoff is now little more than a faded orange grease spot in history.
While skunked for the eighth year of the ever elusive honor of having my name inscribed on the suitably bilious Scarlet Pepper Cup and the year's bragging rights that accompany it, I will say that Chili For Dummies, nailing down the "Best Presentation" and "It Wasn't Chili But I Liked It" categories, as well as battling it out to a hotly contested tie for Second Place, proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that another Hodapp creation once again both delighted the public and confounded the critics. With a possible lesson about style over substance.
Many, many thanks to all who came out (45 folks at one point as I looked around the room, and more outside), to the 19 folks who lined up at the Indiana Blood Center Bloodmobile to get jabbed (exceeding our quota!), and especially to the chili chefs who whipped up their robust entries. A tip of the hat to Alan Hague of the Broad Ripple Gazette for stopping by—a gent who works tirelessly without nearly enough kudos for all he does for the Village.
And a laurel and hardy handshake to Brother Michael Walkup for his First Place entry, "Mmmm Chili", which we will undoubtedly hear about for the next year.
Even if he did bring his Mom along for the sentimentality vote.
And even if he did put chocolate in his "chili" to assure all the women would be mesmerized by a chocolate buzz at voting time.
While skunked for the eighth year of the ever elusive honor of having my name inscribed on the suitably bilious Scarlet Pepper Cup and the year's bragging rights that accompany it, I will say that Chili For Dummies, nailing down the "Best Presentation" and "It Wasn't Chili But I Liked It" categories, as well as battling it out to a hotly contested tie for Second Place, proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that another Hodapp creation once again both delighted the public and confounded the critics. With a possible lesson about style over substance.
Many, many thanks to all who came out (45 folks at one point as I looked around the room, and more outside), to the 19 folks who lined up at the Indiana Blood Center Bloodmobile to get jabbed (exceeding our quota!), and especially to the chili chefs who whipped up their robust entries. A tip of the hat to Alan Hague of the Broad Ripple Gazette for stopping by—a gent who works tirelessly without nearly enough kudos for all he does for the Village.
And a laurel and hardy handshake to Brother Michael Walkup for his First Place entry, "Mmmm Chili", which we will undoubtedly hear about for the next year.
Even if he did bring his Mom along for the sentimentality vote.
And even if he did put chocolate in his "chili" to assure all the women would be mesmerized by a chocolate buzz at voting time.