I arrived hungry, looking forward to sampling some vegetarian chili, but I was disappointed. None of the chili available was meatless. In fact, no vegetarian chili had been entered in the contest.

Now in retrospect, I have to admit that assuming there would be vegetarian chili was a little optimistic and perhaps even unrealistic, but at last year’s Chili Cook-Off, there was definitely one vegetarian chili, and I seem to remember two.

The problem of being a vegetarian trying to report about chili con carne was solved when my omnivore friend who had accompanied me to the cook-off agreed to be my “taster.” The problem of being a vegetarian hungry for chili was also remedied, by an excellent black bean chili tamale purchased from Block Factory Tamales of Germantown, who were part of the Riverfront Fair.

My taster sampled five of the six varieties of chili still available. (By the time she got around to the sixth, they had run out, too.) In her opinion, the chili offered by Boy Scout Troop 114 and Amanda’s Chili were “pedestrian.” She found Scotty’s Too Hotty a bit too sweet and thought the chili prepared by Karen Lecesse and Lindsey Raffiani, made with pork marinated in pineapple juice, was too “tomatoey.” She leaned toward Fire in the Hole, whose Fly Killer Chili had walked off with first prize two years ago in the very first Chili Cook-Off, and thought they would likely win again.

We ate tamales, checked out the Farmers’ Market, and chatted with folks we knew as we waited to learn who the winners were. We didn’t have to wait long, because, with all the chili gone and the chili cooks packing up their crock pots and chafing dishes, the winners were announced at 2:30. The judges—three food professionals whose identities were not revealed—awarded first prize to Boy Scout Troop 114 (“pedestrian”), second prize to Scotty’s Too Hotty (“too sweet’), and third prize to Sisters’ Chili, which my taster never got a chance to sample. The People’s Choice Award also went to Boy Scout Troup 114. I guess there’s no accounting for taste, and since I didn’t taste any of the chili myself, I don’t know whose opinion to accept.

It is my opinion, however, that the Chili Cook-Off is a terrific event, and I’m happy that it has become so popular in such a short time. I’ve heard that the organizers are thinking of moving it to a different time of year, but I hope they don’t. Autumn, when the harvest is in, fresh tomatoes and peppers are plentiful, and cooler temperatures make us crave substantial and warming dishes like chili, is the perfect time for this event. Maybe next year I’ll make sure that there’s chili for those who eschew meat by entering my own “three-alarm” black bean chili. I’ve been perfecting the recipe since I lived in San Antonio, and I just might win.