Sylmar Hang Gliding Association

I am reposting the below article from our dear pilot friend, Richard Seymour. Richard and I began this cook-off tradition many years ago. Everything in his 2006 posting still applies today so take note and enjoy...

Dahlsten Cup Chili Contest!
by Richard Seymour

Amongst the many attractions of what is the arguably the most important yearly club function, the Dahlsten Cup, is the auxiliary competition known as the Chili Cook-off!

The first year we had six entries submitted by three people. Cabbagehead won first prize with his killer LZ (lizard) Chili. There was some controversy over the results, with a protest from one of the contestants about suborning judges and bribing with homebrew.

The next year ( 2005) had a tremendous turnout with 14 chilis submitted by eight contestants. This event was won by Bruce Kovac with his sweet Honey Elk Chili. There was more controversy about alleged cheating, and
deliberately misleading rules. Also there were more allegations
of bribing with homebrew.

Therefore, it is determined that THIS year (2006) there will be a cleaned up contest overseen by the United Nations Fair Elections Committee, fresh from monitoring the Mexican presidential election.

Here are the new rules and advice, and those of you who wish to enter your personal best chili and stomp the competition into the ground should pay attention.

1) You may submit one or two chili entries.

2) Your chili must be in some kind of electric heated crockpot, and it must arrive at the LZ HOT and ready to go. Last year people brought their chili(s) cold, and it took hours for them to heat up. The club will do its best to provide electric cords and terminal strips. However, you might want to bring your own strip just in case.

3) You must bring your HOT chili no later than 2pm. Or thereabouts. Remember, if you bring your chili late, dozens of people have already been scarfing down other people’s chili and voting. Please bring a
nice big serving spoon as well.

4) The chilis in their crockpots will be lined up in order of when they arrive and are ready to serve. If you bring your HOT chili at 11 am, before anyone else, it’s number ONE in the serving line.

5) The entries will have numbers, but ownership will remain anonymous. However, if you are serving, and wink at anyone who requests your chili, who’s gonna know?

6) The Chili Contest is designed to give people something to eat during the early (lunch) hours of the Dahlsten Cup. It is not designed to replace the main dinner, even though that might happen. That is why we start serving chili at 1pm.

7) Please label your entry either HOT or MILD, MEAT or VEGGIE.

The Chili Contest is free, but donations welcome. The customary donation is one dollar per 4 oz. serving, or 5 dollars for as many 4 oz servings you want.

9) The club will provide all bowls, spoons, plates, napkins etc. as well as cheese, onions, hot peppers and a ton of chips.

10) You do not have to be there to serve your chili. The servers, who
have sworn an oath (on the Bible, the Koran, and the Book of Morman) to be impartial, will serve the chili while you fly.

11) The general public will vote on their favorite chilis for 1st, 2nd &
3rd place. They will use printed ballots that they will drop off in the ballot box. The Chili Contest ends at 5pm.These ballots will be tabulated by a panel of three impartial judges who have not entered any chili in the contest. The judgments of the three judges is final and there is no appeal. No sore losers! Don’t come to me after the event and complain about the results. It’s not my fault that you lost. I did not cheat (this year) no matter what anyone says.

These instructions are Classic!

I'm planning on bringing some chili - enough that even those that fly and land later will be able to sample/enjoy.

Hopefully many others will also participate.