Duane Hicks
Main Street Market of Devlin and Holmlund Financial were the big winners at yesterday’s annual “Great Canadian Chili Cook-off.”
Main Street Market served up “Mama Loa’s Voodoo Fire” chili and captured the “People’s Choice” award by those who taste-tested all of the 10 varieties and then voted for their favourites.
Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce manager Annely Armstrong-Thorstad said this morning that there actually was a tie vote for the “People’s Choice” between Seven Generation’s Mary Green and her “Pirate’s Pick” chili and Main Street Market.
“Samples were taken downstairs in the Legion to have a blind taste test for the winner,” she noted.
“In the end, Main Street Market squeaked out the win by one vote.
“As far as we can recall, there has never been a tie, let alone such a contest, for the win,” Armstrong-Thorstad added.
Krista Kellar of Main Street Market was thrilled with the win.
“I was just excited to be involved in this in this,” she remarked.
“I was a long-time eater, first-time participant.”
Kellar said her chili recipe was something she’d been toying with—and it paid off.
“I believe chili should be hot,” she reasoned. “You should know you’re eating chili, not just something plain.”
Holmlund Financial, meanwhile, garnered high marks from judges for their “Yo Ho Holmlund’s Hearty Chili,” earning the prestigious “Judges’ Choice Award.”
Holmlund Financial won the same honour in 2009 and 2011.
“We have a recipe that we use as a base and just kind of add to it every year,” noted Susan Bodnarchuk, who made and served the chili along with Jean Dick.
Chili was served up to about 175 people by a total of 10 teams yesterday at the local Legion.
The other seven teams were:
•Rockcut Accounting and Bookkeeping—”Walk the Plank”;
•Kiwanis—“Cannonball Special”;
•NCDS—“Golden Treasures”;
•Rainycrest Long-term Care—“Fire in the Hole”;
•Seven Generations (Desiree Alfred)—“Mars. Sparrow’s Legged Chili”;
•Seven Generations (Tim Bruyere)—“Haunted Lagoon”; and
•Seven Generations (Derek Turcotte)—“Loose Cannon Chili”
The event also featured the ever-popular cake roulette, with proceeds going to the Robert Moore School breakfast program.
