A political battle will stir things up at this year's North Country Chili Cook-Off.
Call it a warm-up for November elections.
The 11th annual cook-off on Saturday will be the first year any political party has gotten involved in the event, organizers say. Teams representing Democrats and Republicans will promote their chili agendas.
Things could get dicey during the People's Choice Award selection. That's when cook-off attendees pick the winner.
Among the 31 teams to take part in the cook-off will be ones hosted by the Jefferson County Young Republicans and the Jefferson County Democratic Party. The team of Democrats has entered as the Dynamic Donkeys and the Republican team is dubbed The Chili That Ended the Cold War.
Relax: there will be no ACORNS in the Democrats's chili. Eating a Republican version of chili will not cause effects that will send you to a death panel.
And please: no political/chili jokes about global warming.
Sean M. Hennessey, Jefferson County Democratic Party chairman, said their team's recipe is a “Buffalo wing-flavored, chicken” variety.
“There will be no bull in that chili,” he said. “There's no beef and it's light on the beans. It should be good for everyone, especially the kids.”
Mr. Hennessey said his team is well governed.
“There's no deficit spending here,” he said. “We're not cutting corners but we're watching the bottom line.”
John D. Peck, president of the Jefferson County Young Republicans, said his team decided on a retro approach. “We decided on an '80s' theme and a Ronald Reagan type of thing,” he said.
The Cold War team's recipe calls for no meat. It's a conservative approach, perhaps too conservative, and a move that could upset the meaty base of the party.
Mr. Peck said his wife, Maria, created the recipe. “She's been perfecting chili recipes for quite a few months now,” he said.
The party officials said they got involved in the event for its good cause.
The cook-off, hosted by the Jefferson County American Legion Auxiliary and American Legion Family, benefits the Volunteer Transportation Center of Jefferson County.
“It's a time to have a good time for both parties,” Mr. Hennessey said. “We view it as a fun-raiser, not a fund-raiser.”
“We're just out there to have fun and make people realize the importance of being politically active,” Mr. Peck said. “At the end of the day, we're both New Yorkers and Americans and we have to face the same problems.”
Unless one of the parties comes in first, the winner between the two parties in the People's Choice category, where attendees receive a ballot to vote for their selection, may never be known. Only the winner of that award is announced, not the also-rans.
“That's been our policy since day one,” Mrs. Welsh said. But, she added, “Every vote counts.”
Official cook-off judges pick the two other award winners in the professional and amateur categories. Each award-winning team receives $300.
Last year's cook-off raised about $30,000; an increase of $3,000 from 2008's cook-off.
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Last year's top winners are not returning for this year's cook-off. The 2009 People's Choice winner, Gabrielle I. Dusharm of Harrisville, has gone off to college. Shawn McManamah, chef at Samaritan Keep Home and winner in the professional division, will be out of town.
Some long-time cook-off participants are going for those honors.
J. Peter Hludzenski has taken part in every cook-off with his Chili Bistro team.
“It's for a good cause and well worth the time and energy to do it,” he said.
He and his teammate, Joseph Hulbert, will cook up 15 gallons of chili.
“The first year we made eight gallons and it was gone by 1:30,” he said.
Mr. Hludzenski, the owner of The Winemaker on Court Street, always features wine in his recipes. “It's not a strong taste,” he said. “But it makes it a little heartier.”
He will use a Merlot wine this year.
The Jefferson Rehabilitation Center also is a long-time participant.
“We usually have plenty of volunteers,” said JRC executive director Howard W. Ganter. “It's a community experience.”
He said Pamela Dufresne, manager at JRC's Gaffney Drive intermediate care facility, has returned for the second year in a row to lead the JRC team.
Organizers say a good-natured grudge match between some local doctors won't be taking place this year because of the doctors's busy schedules.
