Spilling the Beans

Chili Cook-Off competitors share their cooking strategies

SSIx UNIQUE CHILIES, three judges and hundreds of hungry patrons all converge Dec. 1 for the Historic Dublin Business Association’s annual Chili Cook-Off.

For the second year, restaurants compete for the Chili Cook-Off title: defending overall winner Brazenhead, defending people’s choice winner La Chatelaine, the Dublin Village Tavern, Mezzo, Tucci’s and J. Liu.

The Chili Cook-Off gives local restaurants a chance to experiment with new flavors and cooking methods. Perhaps most importantly, it gives the restaurants a chance to attract new customers and compete for the bragging rights of Historic Dublin’s best chili.

Prior to last year, the cook-off was hosted by the restaurants, but the competitors were individuals. The event’s growing popularity began to make individual participation too costly due to the amount of chili needed, says Dublin Village Tavern owner Tim Picciano.

This year, Brazenhead has its eyes on the prize again after last year’s Cajuninfluenced chili won the overall title. “It was great to win last year and we had a great chili. It’s all for fun and it’s great for the community and the City of Dublin,” says Brazenhead General Manager Mark Stalzer.

Pete Meyst, head chef at Brazenhead, enjoys the challenge of improvising chili techniques. “We improvise in our cooking style and choice of proteins and beans,” says Meyst. “The fact that it is cooked one batch at a time gives the chili time to develop its final taste.”

Although improvisation plays a key role, Meyst says there are also some essential ingredients for good chili: properly-cooked meat and beans, celery, onion, peppers and tomato.

While the cook-off is all about fun, that doesn’t mean Brazenhead is willing to give up its title. “We were fortunate to win last year and you can expect us to defend our title,” says Stalzer. “Since everyone lost to us, I am sure they are gunning for us now.”

One of those competitors is Dublin Village Tavern. “Last year, the Dublin Village Tavern prepared the best traditional chili I’ve ever tasted, but we didn’t win,” says Picciano. “It seemed like the judges went for the more unique and uncommon chili recipes, and we’ll remember that this year.”

Straying from traditional chili will not be easy for the Dublin Village Tavern, but it is possible.

“I’m a traditional girl at heart and I believe the true test of a chili is getting the perfect combination of heat and seasonings,” says Geri Ziemba, Dublin Village Tavern chef.

When trying new recipes, Ziemba advises making small adjustments. “(Add) a little of your seasonings, peppers, etc. at a time. Let it simmer for a while and then taste it to see if it needs more.”

Just as Meyst gives his chili time to develop taste, Ziemba stresses the importance of time. “Don’t rush it, let the chili simmer, allowing the flavors to develop,” Ziemba says.

Blaine Kelly is a contributing writer and an intern for the City of Dublin’s Community Relations Department. Feedback welcome at laurand@cityscene mediagroup.com.

See recipe on page 28.

LIVE MUSIC Every Night from 6:30-9:30pm!

Mon: Donna Mogavero

Tues: Craig & Tony from Phil Dirt and the Dozers

Wed: Dave Powers

Thurs: Miss B Haven

Fri & Sat: Terry Efaw from McGuffey Lane

Uinness

The Dublin Village Tavern offers this traditional recipe from last chopped beans paste sauce tomatoes Lager cornmeal

• 1 Tbsp. salt tsp. black pepper rec TI ons: ground beef and over medium high heat, crumbling meat and stirring evenly browned and no pink. Drain excess fat. olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion, green pepper and minced garlic. Cook and stir until onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add meat, chili beans, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, beer and water. Stir well. Sprinkle in the corn meal, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt and black pepper.

Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce to medium low and simmer for at least 2 hours before serving.

MMY 2012 RESOLUTION of writing one letter per week for a year is coming to a close. Truthfully, I was not able to complete the task of 52 letters, but I wrote a lot more than in previous attempts, and for that I will congratulate myself.

I have conversed with a few Dublin Life readers who took the challenge, and we agree that it was wonderful to reconnect with old friends, express gratitude to former teachers and divulge feelings to precious family members in their golden years. For those of us who find it easier to put pen to paper than come up with the proper words face to face, this exercise in letter writing overflowed with life lessons.

Jenny Patton of Dublin originally envisioned contacting 52 different people from her past but instead found herself exchanging letters with a smaller group. “I didn’t anticipate everyone writing back and of course I wanted to continue corresponding since it is such a special way to connect,” Jenny says.

Her new pen pals include two cousins in Los Angeles, a college roommate in South Carolina, two colleagues from a writer’s conference and several friends who lost parents or siblings this year. “I’m so grateful for this challenge as I feel we are reclaiming a lost art and renewing our friendships at the same time,” Jenny says.

Angie O’Brien should win a prize for carving out time every Sunday for correspondence and never missing a week. She says that everyone she penned took the time to write her back and not one note went unanswered. Angie’s first letter was to her grandfather “Papa,” Norval DePaul.

“I told my papa how proud I was of him for being a Marine in World War II, and how blessed I was to be his granddaughter,” says Angie. “It meant a lot to him and to me because Papa passed away four months after receiving my message.”

I had a similar experience this year when I sent a missive to my Uncle Walt. I recollected staying at his home and traversing Washington, D.C. on my own when I was only 13. I was armed with a map, a few dollars and some phone numbers, which I used after I found a phone booth. We both got a kick out of the absurdity of a 13-year-old let loose on the Metro and agreed it wouldn’t be allowed today. Unfortunately, my uncle was diagnosed with pancre- atic cancer the next month and passed away in October, but I know he appreciated sharing memories and laughter through our correspondence.

By reaching out to our elders, we can learn about family history and maybe even some hidden secrets. Angie’s grandma, Rose, wrote a 10-page letter outlining their family tree and informing her of a safe concealed under the floorboards of her Florida house. One of the buried treasures was a diamond that Rose gifted to Angie, which Angie has since set into a custom ring that she wears every day.

The easiest letters I found to write were those of gratitude. I feel blessed in so many ways, and to reach back into the past and thank the people who have added knowledge and grace to my life was rewarding. At one point in time, I had three children under age 6, and there was an important person in my life who was as calm as I was frazzled. Jill Roshon is the owner and director of Dublin Montessori Academy and she helped a D’Angelo child out of the carpool line for eight straight years.

Although time has flown by, my children still have great memories of preschool and kindergarten, and they continue to have a love of learning. I wanted to relay to Mrs. Roshon how special she was to us and the enormous impact DMA had on our family. My son, Christopher, even wrote his college essay on the benefits of a Montessori education and letting the child lead at his or her own pace.

To my delight, Mrs. Roshon wrote back after re-reading my letter three times and said that I “pulled the years together for her just like a purse string.” I’ve always thought of Mrs. Roshon as a mentor and role model, so I was not sur- prised that she doled out some helpful encouragement in her letter. She wrote, “Keep writing. You give many people joy, even people whom you don’t know. You touch their lives with the gift of your words.”

I couldn’t have written it better myself. - CD