In October, I look forward to gathering friends around a fire-pit, smoking oysters and ladling out steaming bowls of a complicated chili recipe that I make only once per year. Not just any chili; it's Terri Whitson's Poker Night Chili.
The celebration is Charles's birthday on October 30, along with a bevy of dear friends who also share October birthdays.
Our small town goes Halloween crazy so everywhere you look there are skeletons, witches and garlands of pumpkins. Anyone with an October birthday could imagine that the town is decked out just for them. The pinnacle events for me are Charles's birthday party and the following Halloween evening when adults dress in costume and dole out treats to 1500 trick-or-treaters along Ann Street.
No party this year. My husband can take me out to dinner on his birthday or eat take-out alone. He has been grounded and I'll tell you why.
On my fourth trip to Food Lyon in one week, I explained the reason for repeated visits to my favorite cashier: "My husband entered me as a contestant for a chili cook-off."
The cashier captured my sentiments aptly when she asked, "Is he still living and breathing?"
My husband is the Democratic Chairman for Beaufort Precinct 1. He will do what is needed to insure that candidates are elected who will safeguard democratic principles that many of us hold dear. The theme for the October fund-raiser was a chili-cook off held at Backstreet Pub on October 8.
At the planning meeting, he told the group that his wife's chili was the best around and maybe he could coax me to make some for 150 people. They failed to hear the "maybe coax her" and registered my name as a contestant.
Back at home he broached the "chilly" subject carefully, first reminding me of the importance of the upcoming November mid-terms and our need to do everything possible to support honest and effective candidates. When I nodded agreement, he suggested there was something I could do to contribute. It was September and October 8 existed in a galaxy far away. Perhaps, I did say, "Well, I guess I could do that."
Since I only make this chili once per year, the amount of work and costs was not as prominent as it would soon be when I started purchasing ingredients over one week, especially realizing the increased quantity required, from 30 to 150 people. Nor during the lead-up week that required about two hours per day to cook and finally assemble all the pieces that go into the recipe. I probably don't need to mention that I growled every day.
Yes, I growled! Chuck roasts are $6.49 a pound and I would need three. Angus ground sirloin, $5 per pound and I need about eight pounds. Three kinds of dry beans to purchase and cook. Ten herbs and spices. Oh, I forgot the country ham for seasoning. Back to the grocery for the whole canned tomatoes and two kinds of peppers, another pound of onions. Heavy bags to be lugged from my car, sometimes parked a block from the waterfront condo because tourists had grabbed the parking spots, and then up a steep set of steps to the rental unit. All during a hand-surgery recovery period. Ouch!
I would be cooking for five times the crowd I usually serve on Charles's birthday, becoming quite clear there would be no way I could repeat this labor of love again later in the month. I would do my part for the democrats and he would give up his birthday party.
About a week or so before the cookout I received a detailed email letter from THE CHILI COMMITTEE with instructions. They had done precise calculations on chili required for the tasting cups used for attendees to sample each and then vote for a winner. There was a second set of measurements for amount to be given for each plate during the actual meal that included chips or cornbread, rice, condiments, and a cupcake. I had no way to measure my chili in ounces or pounds so I decided to cook what I had and could, and not to worry if I ran out. I reasoned that running out is a good sign in a chili contest because it could indicate that more attendees are sampling my chili than that of the other six contestants.
There's a backstory on the chili recipe. During our years living in Bangladesh, 2000-2005, my husband's friend, Terri Whitson, hosted a monthly poker party at which he served this chili. He would often invite our family over the next night to enjoy the leftovers with his wife, Mary, and daughters, Rose and Arielle. That's when I realized that the chili Charles raved about on poker nights was no ordinary chili.
Terry adapted his mom's recipe using the ingredients he could get overseas. He substituted sirloin roasts for traditional ground beef because they cost as little as ground beef in many overseas posts. He added other surprise ingredients-black olives, a bottle of red wine, and three kinds of dry beans. Check out the recipe and preparation tips at the end of this blog.
Back to my story. Leading up to the chili cook-off, I realized that the special pots and long-handled stirrers I would need were currently packed away by Acme Moving Company. I gratefully borrowed a giant seafood steamer from my friend, Elizabeth Gould.
Next I realized that the tiny condo refrigerator barely stores food for our daily needs, and certainly inadequate for three pots of beans, shredded chuck roast, minced onions and peppers, and cooked ground beef.
That meant I had to cook in the condo and then cart each batch about six blocks away to the empty double-door refrigerator in our new house on Ann Street, which is awaiting renovation. On the day before the cook-off I had to assemble and simmer all the cooked ingredients into two large stainless steel pots and run back and forth from the condo to the house to stir the pots and keep the ingredients from sticking. Then I had to cool the chili, refrigerate overnight, and reheat the next day for the cook-off.
Next was the problem of how to transport the chili and keep it hot. With limited resources Charles concocted a container lined with beach towels out of a tin can we use to store raw peanuts for one of our bird feeders that he found in one of our seven storage units. It worked beautifully and the chili stayed steaming hot until the end of the dinner.
I must admit I got a bit revved up as the contestants lined up behind their designated table, lit their sterno cups, and started to trash talk each other's chili. I stood quietly, and a bit smugly, knowing mine would be the best. There was only one problem.
One of the emails from THE CHILI COMMITTEE had explained how the chili recipes would be categorized for judging. Examples included traditional beef and beans, vegan chili, white bean and turkey chili, vegetarian chili, etc. The email stated that my chili would be categorized as Traditional Texas Chili because it was made with shredded chuck roast. I wrote back immediately to say, "NO WAY!" "The person who developed my recipe is from San Francisco. He most likely hates the state of Texas. I expect it to be called exactly as my friend named it."
The reply told me that I could call it that but it could not be entered in the contest. The COMMITTEE would simply grant me an honorable mention for originality. At the entrance to the event, there was a table set up for voting.
Each dinner guest was given seven red tickets to sample each of seven chili recipes and then asked to put one dry kidney bean into a glass brandy snifter labeled with the name of their favorite chili. While I stubbornly agreed to the honorable mention option required to keep the original name, I was not happy. After all that work, I wanted to win.
I expressed my disgruntlement to Charles who took charge and convinced the COMMITTEE to add a voting jar for my chili. Out of glass brandy snifters, they provided a paper bowl for my entry, but that was OK since I was now in the contest.
I knew I was doing well when one of the samplers held up his thumb and said, "Yours is the best." I asked him how many he had tasted, and he said, "Only yours." I kept seeing return samplers to my chili, when they were supposed to have one sample from all seven. When I asked whether the instructions were clear, they smiled and said, they preferred another sample of mine than trying another.
Between the sampling for choosing best chili, and the actual dining, there were
political speeches, and again between dining and announcing the winner. A lot of beer was consumed from Backstreet Pub, on Middle Lane in Beaufort, where the event was held. Finally, they announced the grand prize winner.
You guessed it! The grand prize went to Deborah Llewellyn, with her whispered thank you to T Whitson, under a category of "traditional beef chili." Still insistent to call it what they wanted I discovered the reason. They had purchased engraved wooden spoons sold for chili cook off winners. Who would have guessed there is an entire commercial enterprise around chili cook-off events? And there was no such category as "Poker Night Chili."
So, Charles and I kissed and made up. But he still doesn't get a birthday party this year.
Charles has been forewarned not to enter my chili in next year's contest, even though the grand prize winner traditionally returns in a cook-off against newcomers. Next year, come the end of October, I will be serving smoked oysters around a fire pit in our new back garden followed by steaming bowls of Poker Night Chili and birthday cake.
POKER NIGHT CHILI
Recipe from poker nights in Bangladesh with T Whitson. Additional modifications suggested by D. Llewellyn
INGREDIENTS (20-30 servings)
2 pounds (1 Kg.) top sirloin (fillet if you’re in a place where beef is cheap) cut into small (1/2”) cubes (Deb slow braises a 3-pound chuck roast, shreds and stores in refrigerator.)
Olive oil
1 large onion (chopped)
1 large green pepper + 1 jalapeno pepper (Deb's adaptation)
2-4 celery stalks (depending on size), sliced stir-fry style
2 cans pitted black olives (sliced)
1 bag kidney beans or 3-4 cans
1 bag dried pinto beans or 3-4 cans
1 bag black beans or 3-4 cans
Ground beef mixture – 1-2 pounds of lean ground beef plus Deb adds one-pound ground sausage with cooked onions, chili powder, salt and pepper, and Deb adds a wee bit of tomato paste.
1 large can of stewed tomatoes (crushed can be substituted) or 8 regular fresh tomatoes
Chili powder –Lots!
Ground cumin
Garlic salt/powder or fresh garlic
Tabasco sauce (celery salt) – Lots!
Red wine – ½ bottle
Taste and add salt and pepper as needed plus additional heat to suit taste.
Preparation
Note: [T Whitson (one-day cook and assemble) or Deb Llewellyn (3-day cook and assemble). Both cooks let the chili rest overnight in the fridge before re-heating and serving.
1. Soak one package of ground beans per night and cook over 3 days. Store in refrigerator. Terri cooks his all together in one big pot at the same time, but Deborah cooks the three beans separately as they have different timing requirements to cook (slightly firm, not mushy) and stores each in the refrigerator.
2. If you use canned beans (3-4 cans for each type), then rinse cans with red wine and pour into the pot. Same with the canned tomatoes below. By the end you'll have ½ bottle red wine added.
3. Sauté the onions and peppers and fresh garlic in olive oil. Add garlic salt/powder, cumin, and chili powder. Terri browns the beef cubes, in two batches, coating the meat with spices, and adds to the pot. If anything sticks to the frying pan, then sear with some wine and pour into the chili pot. (Instead of beef cubes, Deb braises a chuck roast with spices, wine, Worcestershire sauce, and some tomato paste. Then bake in oven at 250 for 3+ hours, until it shreds easily by fork. You can add it in the big pot on same day as cooking beans like Terri does or cook the roast, shred and store in refrigerator for later assembly.
4. Sauté more onions, celery and spices. Add ground beef to mixture and brown. (Deb adds pound of ground sausage, as well). Cook and store in refrigerator or add to the huge pot of 3 types beans and cubed sirloin (Terry) or shredded chuck roast (Deb)
5. Sauté chopped tomatoes in olive oil after the oil is fragrant. Cook a bit longer if tomatoes are fresh. Then add spices to the tomatoes. Cook a bit more and add to the pot. If using canned tomatoes, add juice from whole canned tomatoes to the pot and then chop and add the whole canned tomatoes. Deb uses combination of fresh and canned tomatoes.
6. Slice olives in half and add.
7. Start tasting and adding Tabasco and/or more spices to taste. Terri likes to add a bit of celery salt as well. The big pot should be bubbling by this time, so stir frequently. Once it tastes delicious, turn it down and simmer (stirring frequently) for an hour or two, checking often to prevent sticking.
8. At this point Terri's chili is ready to serve (one long day of work) or Deb's is ready to assemble after 3 or 4 days.
9. Both cooks recommend chilling overnight before re-heating and serving the next day. Leftovers are even better!
Vegetarian Tip (from Deb)
For parties, I make a vegetarian chili to serve alongside meaty chili. My daughter, Bronwyn, taught me that If you lightly chop a couple of drained cans of garbanzo beans in a food processor they have the consistency of ground beef so you can make chili with the course chopped garbanzo, and sauté with spices, instead of beef. Other ingredients and steps are the same.
Of course you can add a lot of interest to the chili party by making turkey and white bean chili as another option for non-beef eaters.
Better yet, get some friends to bring their variations and have a chili sampling event. It's the perfect autumn meal under the full moon around a blazing fire.
This chili has been a family favorite of ours for years, because great food is associated with fond memories of who you were with and where you ate it. The Llewellyn's and Whitson's shared so many wonderful evenings together, especially dining on Terri's chili or Mary Lew's home-made pot stickers. Terri is a fiction writer and can tell a captivating, usually hilarious story. His wife Mary, an accountant, never took him seriously, which made for great fun. His daughters Arielle and Rose lit up the room. Those were the best of times!
Marmalade Cafe dressed up for Halloween.
Photo Credits
Each October, Emily and John Carter delight their Ann Street neighbors by changing their skeleton themed display every day for thirty days leading to Halloween. The cover photo of skeletons around the fire pit and Vampire Glad's birthday party photo are shared with Emily and John's permission.
Other photos were taken along Ann Street by the author.
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