October 23, 2009
Chili Cook-Off:
Holy Spirit’s annual event was filled with friendly competition
Holy Spirit teachers Jamie Broeker and Brandi Coomes hope for a win at the annual Chili Cook-off. (Message photo by Mary Ann Hughes) Click for a larger version.
By MARY ANN HUGHES (Message staff writer)
There was a whole lot of friendly competition going on in Holy Spirit’s gym last Friday night. The pastor, Father Claude Burns, the teachers and parishioners were all vying for the title of “Best Chili” at the fourth annual Chili Cook-Off.
Holy Spirit teachers Jamie Broeker and Brandi Coomes said the school staff has had a team every year. They won the first year and have been trying to reclaim that title ever since.
Jamie was the main chef this year; she consulted with her brother about the ingredients. “His hobby is cooking, and we came up with very, very secret ingredients.” She smiled as she held up a lemon which had been quartered.
Father Burns said he started cooking at noon for the evening competition. His special ingredient was dark beer. “I’m not a bad cook,” he said, adding that this is his first year to enter the competition.
Don Dassel said he was using a “recipe I’ve been using for years. It’s a sweet recipe. There’s a lot of brown sugar, and a sweet type of sausage.
“We won the People’s Choice award last year. We ran out, so I made extra this year.”
Rhonda Schroeder was the chairperson of the event which also included a live auction and dancing. “We had a good time,” she said. “We really did. We were dancing, and we had the live auction and the silent auction — and we made some money for the church.
The entries were judged using five criteria: aroma, color, consistency, taste and aftertaste. “The judges had no idea who they were judging. It was all secret.”
First place went to Donnie Debbie Dassel. Second place went to the pastor, Father Burns, and third place went to David Velvet Wathen.
The Peoples Choice Award went to Bill Vukovich.