Homecoming: Tickle your taste buds with chili cook-off

The grand finale to homecoming 2010 was the third annual “Knock Your Boots Off” beer tasting and chili cook-off, featuring the best chili and brewskis Golden has to offer. This event provides local companies and individuals the opportunity to showcase their chili creations, competing for cash prizes and ribbons.

Owing to the beautiful, if blustery, weather, hundreds of people flocked to this years’ event, a significant increase over last year. The atmosphere was one of relaxation and fun; people made their way from booth to booth enjoying the wonderful, if sometimes unusual, chili creations. Last years’ winner was the Poblano Mining Co.’s chili, which was a balanced, more traditional red chili. The overall effect was wonderful, the chili had enough kick to know it’s there, but it wasn’t overpowering. This chili had some pedigree, and it was evident why it had won in the past.

Jon Dempster / Oredigger

Green chili was a popular topic this year, with many groups offering green and red versions of their chili. In general, the red chili was hotter and had a heavier, more meaty consistency. Definitely the kind of meal coveted on a cold, blustery October day. The green chili offered a different take on the concept of chili, and the individual expression in the many different varieties presented by the contestants was amazing. Truly, chili is not just chili to these people. Favorites in the green chili area include the Gringo Green and the East Meets West chili, both were very different in flavor from traditional red chili, but were pleasant and quite filling.

No chili tasting would be complete without a chili that cooks your innards, and sure enough, Buffalo Rose’s Habanero chili fit the bill nicely. Boasting the hottest peppers in the western hemisphere, this chili was very hot. Interestingly, it was not red, but white chili. The overall flavor profile was very good, and because the heat of the Habanero pepper tends to hit you with a slight delay after you eat it, you were actually able to taste the chili before your face was engulfed in flames.

For those not able to come this year, it’s likely that Golden will continue to hold this event for years to come.. It’s hard to imagine a better way to spend a few hours on a Saturday afternoon in October; watching a great football game and hanging out with friends eating some of the best chili out there. Homecoming 2010, it’s been fun. Homecoming 2011, here we come!