State championship chili cook off June 25

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

This year's Idaho State Championship Chili Cookoff will be held in Carl Miller Park in Mountain Home on Saturday, July 25, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Admission is free to the event. Entertainment during the cookoff will be provided by the band "Third Take." A 50/50 raffle is planned.

The event is sponsored by the Mountain Home Chili Society (MHCS), a chapter of the International Chili Society.

The MHCS is looking for local residents to enter the People's Choice Chili competition. The entry fee is $15. Prize money is $150 for first place, $75 for second and $25 for third place.

People's Choice is a chili made to a person's own liking that contains a filler such as beans, pasta, rice, etc. Due to the Idaho Central District Health Department requirements all chili must be prepared on site that day at Carl Miller Park.

The cooking time for People's Choice Chili starts at 8 a.m. The chili is scheduled to be served from 11 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. The public is invited to purchase tasting kits to sample the People's Choice Chili. Included in the tasting kit is a ballot for voting for the chili they like the best.

The remaining categories include three sanctioned events qualifying for the International Chili Society's World Championship Chili Cookoff in October.

The categories are: red chili, chili verde (green), and salsa. The entry fees are $30 for Red Chili; $25 for Chili Verde; and $15 for Salsa.

Prize money is:

* Red Chili -- lst Place, $250; 2nd Place, $150; 3rd Place, $100.

* Chili Verde -- lst Place, $150; 2nd Place, $100; 3rd Place, $75.

* Salsa -- lst Place, $100; 2nd Place, $75; 3rd Place, $50.

In addition to the entry fees for the International Chili Society's categories of red chili, chili verde (green chili), and salsa, there is a membership fee of $42. In order to enter any or all of the three sanctioned categories participants must be a member or have applied for membership. If one only enters the People's Choice category, an International Chili Society membership is not required for anyone who only enter the People's Choice competition.

The schedule for the day is:

* Set-up time -- 7-9a.m.

* Cooks' meeting -- 9:00 a.m. (All ICS categories)

* Chili verde preparation -- 9:30-10:30 a.m.

* Red chili preparation -- 11 a.m. to noon.

* Cooking and serving times for People's Choice Chili -- Cooking 8-11 a.m.; Serving 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

* Cooking times for ICS competitions are: Chili Verde -- 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; Red Chili -- noon to 3 p.m.

* Turn in times for ICS competitions are: Salsa -- noon; Chili verde -- 1:30 p.m.; Red Chili -- 3 p.m.