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Mason Dixon Pod News Summer 2001 |
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Summer 2001 Welcome to the second issue of our online newsletter. Ask a chili cook how to become a member of the Mason Dixon Pod or phone Pepperdean at 410-879-6410 See you soon! Sept. 2 - Kclingers Tavern CCO. Hanover, PA Sept. 29 - Last Chance CCO in Conowingo Oct. 13 - Riverfest Chili Cookoff. Laurel, MD October 14 - Swanfest Cookoff. Swan Harbor Farm, Havre de Grace, MD
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It was late Friday afternoon when we pulled into Grand Lake, Colorado for the Colorado State Chili Cookoff. The trip to Grand Lake was a scenic, two-hour ride from downtown Denver. We checked into the Rapids Inn and decided to walk into town for a beer and some dinner. Before going downtown, however, we went to take a look at the Rapids dining room to see if we might like to eat there. The dining room was nice, but it was the bathtub-sized glasses at the bar that piqued our interest. We asked ‘What are those for?’ The answer was ‘margaritas.’ We quickly forgot dinner and dove right in. An hour later, the three of us were tuned-up from the fine drinks and ready to move on.. Our bartender recommended the Sagebrush Barbecue for dinner, so off we went. John Montgomery was at the Sagebrush watching for Dixie and Junior Johnson.
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After some good stories and a good dinner, we went back in search for that beer at Pancho & Lefty’s, a lively little spot right on Main Street. While working on the cerveza, we spied the huge assortment of premium tequila bottles behind the bar. They had a great assortment of wonderful tequilas and we discovered, by East Coast standards, the prices were CHEAP! Say no more, a taste testing was underway and Corralejo Anejo was voted the unanimous winner. A little more cerveza and we were ready to turn in. Saturday
morning, I wanted to get to the cookoff site early and pick a good spot.
I arrived at 7:30 am and WHOA! I was the last one to arrive.
These Colorado cooks are serious. At about 9:15, the cooks meeting began. Everyone was quiet and respectful as Lyman Wilkinson got up on the picnic table and read from the good book – the CASI Rules. Following the reading, we shared the ceremonial tequila toast to good friends, good chili, good luck, and good judging. After that everyone hunkered down to cookin’ their best bowl of red. At almost 9000 feet altitude, there was no time for foolin’ around. Continued
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