I had never been to the annual Chili Cook-Off before, so I had no idea what to expect. The walk down to the commons was nice, even though it was a bit chilly outside. I was expecting it to rain, but thankfully it didn’t. Upon arrival, I felt as if I could smell the chili in the air. I saw my happiness mirrored in faces of the children that ran joyously about the square. There were many booths scattered about, and at each booth, a ticket could be exchanged for a chili sample.

I’m far from a culinary expert, but I do love eating chili and cornbread. It was incredibly fun to walk around and taste different samples. I was surprised that there were so many options. I had no idea that you could take chili so far. One of my favorite samples was a chili calzone. I also enjoyed the cornbread that I bought. It was disappointing to run out of tickets.

Overall, I very much enjoyed attending the Chili Cook-off, and I’m looking forward to returning next year with an empty mug.