A bittersweet chili competition for me

The first annual KEZI chili cookoff happened today. Something like a dozen crockpots full of chili, some terrible, some mediocre, and some made by me.

I was worried early on when I discovered that everyone else had electric crockpots and hot plates to keep their chili warm. Mine had the sun. So, about an hour and a half into it, my chili had cooled down considerably...this may have cost me votes.

Had presentation been a consideration, my halved and seeded jalapeno/fresno pepper arrangement would certainly have won first prize; indeed, it got a close-up during the first 6 o'clock weather segment. Weatherman slash local celebrity John Fischer, an avid gardner, was impressed by the squash and carrots in my recipe, and even asked me a few questions on camera. (I explained that my job is to do the jingle when his seven-day outlook comes on the screen.)

My friends and I agreed that the best chilis were mine (#8) and #12, which billed itself as "tex-mex". I also liked #2, which I figured for a third place finish.

Of course it didn't turn out that way. #7, a chili by all acounts too sweet, finished first in a landslide, only approached by second-place finisher #5, a fine but mostly uninteresting chili. Both of these chilis got more than double the number of votes of the third-place finisher. Votes cost $1 each, and the top prize was a $200 gift certificate, so I suppose some strategic ballot-stuffing may have been at hand.

Third place would have been #2, but apparently she had left the cookoff early and was therefore disqualified. So, on a technicality, I squeaked into third place from my rightful spot at "distant fourth", and received a $100 gift certificate to a coastal resort called Embarcadero.

Yes, yes, "congratulations" and so forth, but I'm very bitter. Fourth place? Come on people! That was some dynomite chili I put together! It had buffalo and lamb in it! And Rogue Chipotle Ale! Was anyone else up at 4am preparing their chili so it could simmer for twelve hours? I think not! The top prize went to a guy who froze his chili! FROZE IT!!!

Well, I told myself I'd be happy as long as I won something, but clearly that's not true. It doesn't help that I managed to win only while still losing. Bah I say. Bah!