PORT TOWNSEND — It’s chili cooking time in Jefferson County as participants fire up their grills for Sunday’s annual Port Townsend Chili Cook-Off and Horseshoe Contest.
Gates will open at 12:30 p.m. Sunday at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds, 4907 Landes St.
Health Department regulations prevent organizers from offering chili to the general public.
This is a community picnic, so attendees are encouraged to bring a lunch, beverages and table settings. Glass containers and dogs are discouraged.
Contest participants will try their hands at cooking the best chili and cornbread. Judging will start at 3 p.m.
A horseshoe contest, which also is scheduled for Sunday, will begin at 1 p.m. at the fairgrounds, 4907 Landes St.
The chili competition categories will include mild, hot, family-style (with beans, vegetables or both) and verde. All competition chilis and cornbreads must be registered before the judging begins.
The team of judges consists of the 2014 winners: Ron McElroy, Larry Dennison and Pete Raab.
After intense scrutiny by their expert palates, they will choose the best chili in each of the categories and will then select one of these as the Best Overall Chili. The creator of the championship chili will have his or her name engraved on the cook-off trophy, created by Bob McGarrough.
There will once again be music. Picnic tables will be provided and a firepit with grill will be set up to keep the chili and cornbread warm.
For more information or to try to bribe a judge for his winning chili recipe, call McElroy at 360-385-2556, Dennison at 360-301-0120 or Raab at 360-774-1219.
