Bringin' the Heat at the 8th Annual CAAS Chili Cook-off
Raise the trophy high! Mike Bishop, representing last year's departmental champion, celebrates with the 'Golden Crockpot’ and the department’s second consecutive win last year.
Utah State University’s College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences will hold its 8th annual Chili Cook-off Saturday, Feb. 21, at 5 p.m.
The event features dozens of chilies, cornbread, live music and swing dancing.
Everyone is invited and $3 will get you unlimited chili. Proceeds of this year’s cook-off will go to USU student Dallin Wengert, who is recovering from a serious car accident that left his family with many medical bills. Wengert is a student in the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences. He was able to return to school in the fall of 2014 after months of rehabilitation, and is currently applying to veterinary schools.
The chili cook-off is held at the USU Junction, 1020 East 750 North, Logan. Planned entertainment is provided by the band Sagawich Basin Boys and the USU Country Swing Club.
Chili Cook-off organizer Courtney Bennett said the event is an excellent way to support a good cause while enjoying delicious food.
Cooks interested in entering their chili recipes still have time to sign-up to compete. The entries will be judged by a five-person panel. Awards are given in categories for spicy, traditional, non-traditional and a departmental honor within the college.
Competition has become heated in recent years. Two-time consecutive winner and defending champion Michael Bishop, a program coordinator for the Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences, hopes to take the golden crockpot home again this year. He said he’d like to see the cook-off turn into a departmental competition, and called on the Department of Plants, Soils and Climate to bring its best recipes to the event.
“They’re growing the peppers,” Bishop said. “They should bring the heat.”
Plants, Soils and Climate professor and Extension Specialist Dan Drost responded to Bishop’s call.
“It’d be nice if we had peppers this time of year,” Drost joked. “We’ll have lots of onions instead.”
For those attending, parking is available just south of The Junction in the orange lot.
Email Lisa Allen, lisa.allen@usu.edu, for more information or to enter your chili recipe in the competition.
Related link:
USU College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences
Contact: Lisa Allen, 435-797-0454, Lisa.Allen@usu.edu
Writer: Elaine Taylor, ElaineJTaylor@gmail.com
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