RIVER RESORTS REGIONAL - NOVEMBER 20, 2010
The 2010-2011 chili year is in full swing in Southern California with a new District-turned-Regional Cookoff in Hesperia on October 9th followed by a really great Happy Trails Regional Cookoff on October 23rd in Apple Valley. There are a couple more cookoffs in Southern California on October 30th and November 6th. But the one we’re most looking forward to is River Resorts Regional on November 20th, the Saturday before Thanksgiving.
This is truly an old-time cookoff, like cookoffs used to be. Kind of reminds us of the old World’s Championships held at Tropico Gold Mine, but on a smaller scale. This event is very popular with the RVers, who arrive early to get a choice spot with a little bit of electricity by hooking their rig into Armando, who hooks his rig into Smitty, who hooks his rig into Captain Jim, who hooks into the RV hookup box. There are a couple of other spots with hookups, but they’re taken by early Thursday afternoon. The rest of the camping is dry camping, but it’s all FREE!!—-courtesy of our host, Bob Brown, who owns Lost Lake Resort where the cookoff is held. Once you get parked in your RV spot, you cook right at your rig. You are also welcome to come without an RV. The closest hotels are in Parker, AZ, which is only about 20 minutes away, and they have most of the usual places. Those cooks who can only come for the day line up in the middle of the RV circle, with their cars parked right at their booths. It’s not real pretty, but it sure is convenient!
2010 will be the 24th year for this cookoff! We have had as many as 60 cooks at this event (even back when it was a District) and average around 30. We regularly have cooks from Nevada, Arizona, Colorado and Texas, as well as from California. Rumor has it that we might even have a cook or two from Illinois this year! This will be our 24th Annual cookoff at Lost Lake Resort. This may (or may not) be the longest-running cookoff in the same venue in the ICS. Doesn’t matter—-it’s a very unique event and well worth attending.
Here’s the schedule: The day begins at around 7:00 am at the judging area, where a large urn of coffee awaits. Armando Sanchez hosts a FREE (but he accepts tips) bar of Bloody Marys, Mimosas and screwdrivers; he probably also has a little bit of brandy to add to your coffee, if you prefer. At 8:00 am you are served breakfast, hosted by Bill and Karen Ray, with a lot of help from their friends on Friday to get the cooking done, which consists of a fresh fruit bowl (with or without champagne), link sausages, bacon, scrambled eggs, biscuits and homemade sausage gravy. Again, this is FREE (but we accept tips).
A 9:00 cooks meeting is held by Chief Judge, Bob Dinnewith. Chief Scorekeeper will be none other than Donnie Gordon. Salsa is turned in for judging at 11:30 am. Chili verde is cooked from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. Red chili begins cooking at 12:00 and is turned in at 3:00 am. At this cookoff People’s Choice chili is optional, and here’s why. We split the money collected from the sale of the tasting kits between our charity (English Springer Rescue America) and the winning cook. We have never sold less than $1,000 in tasting kits, so our winner has always won at least $500 for their efforts. One year Mr. Bill Woodring, Esq. won the People’s Choice chili and also won the Traditional Red Chili! Last year’s People’s Choice winner, Mr. Tony Inglese, took home just short of $600 for People’s Choice!
Other happenings include: Country (what else) music, Little (12-and-under) Miss Chili Pepper and Mr. Hot Sauce; Adult Miss Chili Pepper and Mr. Hot Sauce. These contests are conducted by the Chief Judge of the World’s Championship Chili Cookoff, Mr. Steve Porter. Steve has only ever missed one year of this cookoff. He has remarked that the little girls who once competed in Little Miss Chili Pepper are now grown up and entering their children in the “Little” contests, while competing themselves for Miss Chili Pepper. There is also a Shoot ‘n’ Holler contest, where our reigning World’s Champion, Armando Sanchez, will show his stuff—-he has already won once since the World, at Happy Trails Regional! Among others, Jim Stoddard and Mike Austin will give him a run for his money!
After the awards have been announced and things start to settle down for the evening, there is a spaghetti dinner and dance at The Barn (the Resort recreation area) for those who are so inclined. Your buttons from the cookoff are your entry into the dance. At the campground, there is a potluck dinner at 7:00 pm for those who would prefer. There will be many delicious dishes to savor, as everybody knows that most of the chili cooks are also good cooks otherwise.
Please come on out to the middle of nowhere and join us at our annual Colorado River party. The motto of the cookoff is “where friends meet for chili on the Colorado River”! Hope to see you there.
Bill and Karen Ray
