For The Love of Chili

I went to a chili cook-off sponsored by our local Ashburn Pub last Saturday. 17 chili recipes entered the competition and the winner by popular votes from us tasters will have their chili recipe included in the pub's menu for a whole year. I tried only 7 chilis, 6 without beans and 1 with beans and sweet corn. The first one I tried  was terribly sweet, I tasted only a tiny portion and threw the rest away. Who puts sugar in their chili and who would eat and love it??? Well, as it turned out people here in Ashburn like their chili sweet and honeyed because it WON the competition. A friend of ours, Enrique who is originally from Venezuela, voted for it as the best, so what do I know. Anyway, the only chili I make and eat is Authentic Texas Border Chili and nothing else. 

it was crowded, hot, and noisy inside and outside the pub

Enrique with his drink Mongo Juice which he gave to me because it was too sweet for him. It's a non-alcoholic drink that tastes of nothing but chemicals, sugar, and probably a few drops of bitters. I drank it because it was cold and I liked the large slice of watermelon.

the creator of Mongo Juice

the staff calls him Mongo after the character in the movie Blazing Saddles 

although he is not really as huge as Mongo

my first choice had chunks of sausage and tasted almost like my favorite chili

my second choice, more like a stew but the only chili that actually had hot chiles

my third choice regardless of beans and corn

very tasty and it's served with delicious oyster crackers 

Our friend Enrique suggested I join next year and he will "pimp" for my chili but now that I know what the tasters prefer, my chili might come out at the very bottom because it's never sweet and has loads of spices.