JAY – Whether it was hot and spicy or sweet and tangy, chili enthusiasts from all over Franklin County brought their best chili recipes to compete at the annual VFW Post 3335 chili cook-off on Saturday.
Some added three types of beans, while others added various kinds of peppers and spices in competing for the title of chili cook-off champion. Starting at 10 a.m., all seven contestants began concocting their chili. The judging took place later in the day.
Brown sugar and some hot sauce were the special ingredients in the spicy chili recipe of Danny Belanger, Quinn Falkowski and Kathy Wormer. Wormer, who just returned from a tour of 15 months in Iraq, claims she left the chili-making up to her two chefs.
Candace Jackman, chaplain and historian for the the VFW post’s ladies’ auxiliary, claimed she makes her chili different every time.
“I play it all by ear,” said Jackman. The Fayette resident not only added kidney beans, black beans and pinto beans, but four different types of peppers and some spices. Jackman has been a member of the auxiliary for two years and admits that the tragedy of 9/11 made her get involved.
Stewed tomatoes, some red wine and capers is all Livermore resident Rosalie Labbe needed to give her chili its unique taste. Labbe stayed up the whole night before, preparing her chili, only to find out that it had to be cooked during the event.
Despite the fact that all the contestants were concentrating on their cooking, the three-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, was the focus of the day. Members of the VFW and ladies’ auxiliary sold commemorative T-shirts, raffle tickets and margaritas in an effort to raise money to benefit the enhancement of the Jay War Memorial.
Judges for the competition were state Rep. Ray Pineau, Mike Craft from International Paper, Bob LaFleur of LaFleur’s Restaurant, and Janice Gaskill, the Maine state president of the VFW ladies’ auxiliary.
Winner of the first place prize and $250 was Alisa Taylor of Jay. Rosalie Labbe took second prize and won $150, and Corey Leclerc of Jay took third prize and $100.
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