With so little time to get off campus the Annual Chili Cook Off was a fantastic excuse to get down to the Commons and relax a little. I wasn’t sure what to expect, maybe just a small thing with a few stalls on the side, or maybe something a little bigger. What I found when I got there was a town -wide celebration with every store and restaurant represented by a stall. Each stall I went to had better chili than the last, and I found that the 7 tickets we were given ran out very quickly. My favorite chili had to be the one served by the Loui’s Food Truck stall. However, if I’m allowed to have a favorite dish other than chili, the Texas Roadhouse stand had fresh buns with honey butter that was so good I used a ticket to get seconds.

But, looking past the food, the biggest aspect that I noticed about this event was how it brought the community together. In the town I’m from, there was never a feeling of community and everyone tended to keep to themselves. At the Cook-Off, there was a very real sense of togetherness, with everyone enjoying the hot chili on a cold Saturday morning. At every stall, the people in it were extremely warm and open to talking if no one was waiting in line behind me. It’s the sort of thing you might see in a movie but never experience in real life. It’s in moments like these that I believe Ithaca truly shines. While it may not be the biggest or most modern town, it gives off an air of friendliness and welcoming that many places lack. I greatly enjoyed myself and will be sure to go back next year.

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.

On Saturday I went to Chilifest. This is my second year in Ithaca, and I had not yet gone to Chilifest. So this year, when given the option, I decided to go to experience it. I thought it would be interesting and a new thing to try in Ithaca. I was a little concerned about it because I was unsure if there would be any vegetarian chilis to try. Surprisingly, there more places than I expected, and they were all tasted quite good.  This was an interesting experience that resulted in eating lots of chili while being also quite cold. [Even though it was cold there were a good number of people there enjoying this event.] I got to try chili from many vendors including Green Star and a Soybean farm/group and even Cornell Dining.

I definitely recommend this event to everyone: if you haven’t gone yet, if you like chili, if you like interacting more with Ithaca etc. It was a fun event with friends. Also they sell cornbread (!!). I really love cornbread and I bought two pieces which paired with the Chili very nicely. Pro tip: if you bring your own cup, the vendors may give you a little more chili!

I’ve been dairy, beef, and pork free for almost the entire spring semester. I have a couple of motivations for cutting these foods out of my diet. The first is that cows give off a lot of methane, which is a much more potent green house gas than carbon dioxide. Also, cow and pig manure both contribute to releasing green house gases. Another reason is because I don’t know the living standards of the animals or how humanely they are slaughtered. I miss cheese especially, but overall I am glad with what I’ve been doing.

I was a little hesitant to sign up for Chili Fest because I thought being surrounded by slow cooked animal products would be a temptation too great to turn down. But then I thought more and more of how Ithaca seems, for the most part, pretty progressive. This made me think that there might be a chance at plant-based options. I would say more than half of the stands there did not disappoint me, and all of the samples I tasted were pretty awesome. But when you only eat fruits and vegetables, I guess your standards may tend to lower a little.

Apparently only around 3.2 percent of Americans are vegetarian and only 0.5 percent of them are vegan. While this number is small, it seems like more restaurants are offering options for those with dietary restrictions. I know how good meat can taste, so I can’t really be mad at people who eat it, plus I still eat chicken sometimes. But I will say that sustainability and humane treatment of animals are pretty important issues, and even just cutting the amount of animal product you eat can make a difference.

Last weekend, I attended the Chili Cook-Off event at the Ithaca Commons, a popular Ithaca community tradition. The Commons were lined with booths serving a wide variety of chili and other foods. It was quite similar to Apple Fest in terms of the atmosphere and the community gathering, which made the Chili Cook-Off a very enjoyable event as well.

Although I have had chili in the past, trying many different types of chili in the same event helped me realize the wide variety of flavors and types of chili possible. Varying in the level of spiciness, composition of the chili, and the flavors, there were definitely many types of chili available to try from many different vendors. I was able to try 6 different types of chili, each of them were delicious and comparing the different flavors was a fun experience. One of the great aspects of the event was the variety of options available and the eager vendors presenting their chili.

In general, the Chili Cook-Off was a great community gathering in the Commons that I really enjoyed. I generally do not have much time to visit the Commons and this provided a great opportunity to head off campus and also eat a variety of chili that I would not normally be able to have. It was also a great experience to attend a unique Ithaca event that I can experience as a Cornell student.

Last Saturday, I braved the dreary weather for some soul-warming chili. As the official dish of the state of Texas, chili (more formally known as chili con carne) is essentially an American classic by now, and could even be considered a staple dish in certain parts of the country. I think it’s also a food that allows, and even encourages, flexibility and ingenuity in its creation – between the long-running debate on whether it should include beans or tomatoes, and the expansion of its applications to hot dogs, fries, and other dishes, there’s a lot of room for the chef’s personal exploration.

Personally, I think that’s what makes chili a great cook-off food as well – the wide range of possibilities. Every single sample of chili I tried last week was unique, but I’ll list some of my favorites: Texas Roadhouse’s chili was sweet and much thinner than almost every other recipe I tried; Ithaca Bread Co.’s Jalapeno Cheeseburger chili made up for the lack of cheeseburger flavor with the abundance of jalapenos; and Luna didn’t hold back with their chocolate-covered pork belly (one of the most surprisingly delicious food combinations I’ve ever tasted, if anyone was wondering). Most of the recipes left an impression on me, and even if they weren’t memorable to the point of me being able to recall the taste a week later, I definitely didn’t think any of them tasted the same or – heavens forbid – bland in any way at the time. I’m not sure if there’s any other food as conducive to improvisation as chili, since even the base ingredients seem to be highly contested, but that is definitely not a bad thing. Plus, I think each of the chefs, along with the institution they represented, got to showcase their individual talents, and I’m never one to not cheer on someone when it’s their moment to shine.

In the end, I left with a full stomach and a full heart. While walking through the commons, chili in hand, and looking at the thirty-or-so local chefs who were able to share their edible passions and dreams with us, I realized just how easy it is to get so caught up in playing the game of life that you forget the simpler joys of life. Amidst all my papers and exams, I’m glad I was able to witness a gathering of people who love what they do so much that they’re willing to share it with their entire community – and I only hope that my future is filled with the same kind of satisfaction (and high quality chili).

I wanted to start this blog post with a quick definition of what chili is. It turns out, that’s a little bit complicated. Originally, chili is from Texas. According to the internet, Texas chili is made with meat and chili peppers. This was a little surprising to me, as every dish I have ever seen described as chili has been tomato based, and usually contained beans. So, it would seem that there is chili-one specific dish with a set ingredient list, originating from Texas, and then there is “chili”-a general category of foods containing a lot of different recipes for meat and or vegetable stew type things.

I don’t eat meat, so the only chili I can eat is from the latter category-imposter chili. I have almost never eaten chili, as most of the chilies I have encountered in my life have been meat based. Discovering that the Ithaca Chili Cook Off had vegetarian and vegan judging categories was exciting for me, as it meant getting to try a type of food I have rarely experienced before.

The first chili I tried was from Ithaca Soy Company. It was, of course, a tofu chili. The chili itself tasted good, but I’m not sure how much the tofu added to the experience. For those of you who haven’t eaten it, tofu is essentially flavorless, and soaks up the flavoring of whatever it is seasoned with / marinated in / cooked in. In chili, the tofu did not announce its presence to me either by taste or texture. If I were making chili myself, I would probably leave the tofu out. Beans are also a good source of meatless protein, and I liked the texture of beans in the chilis I tried considerably more than the tofu.

Of the chilis I tried, my favorite had some of the most unconventional ingredients. This chili included corn and spinach. (I wasn’t really looking at who the vendors were, or ingredient lists – I kind of just wanted to experience the chili without any preconceived notions). The only chili I did not like was, ironically, from my favorite take-out restaurant. This chili contained what appeared to be raisins, which for me was a bridge to far. Chili can be unconventional, but not that unconventional.

While my primary interest was the food, I also enjoyed the Chili Cook Off. The event was a nice way to get local businesses together to compete. I would definitely attend again.

I have also heard that Ithaca holds a chowder cook off, which I am now really looking forward to. That said, I am from New England, and I’m not sure how much I would enjoy people messing with my culinary heritage, rather than Texas.

Some foods just taste better depending on the weather. For example, while smoothies are great all year round, they are arguably much better in the summer. Likewise, I strongly agree that warm soup tastes the best in the fall and winter (Maybe spring, depending on the temperature). On the day of the Chili Cook-Off, I was a bit worried about the forecast of rain and the low temperature. In preparation, I had bundled myself to the extent that the motility of my arms was severely restricted by the many layers of cloth. However, after getting a chance to try the chili, I was convinced that the weather added to the experience rather than detracting from it.

This was my first experience with chili, and I was pleasantly surprised by the different kinds that I got to try. In total, I tried five different types of chili and each of them had a distinctive flavour. For this very reason, I can’t point out my favourites. For example, the Cayuga Medical Centre chili had a very generous distribution of meat, which would be great for days when I have a larger appetite. On the other hand, the maple chili at Moosewood would be great if I was looking for a lighter dish for lunch or dinner. The other chilis that I tried were the ones made by: Cornell Catering, Ithaca Bakery and Greenstar.

Another aspect that I appreciated was the versatility of chili and it’s sides/pairings. Greenstar’s chili had an interesting smoky flavour, which added to the experience of eating warm food on a cold day. The chili that I got from Ithaca Bakery came with a cube of toasted bread. The ‘crunch’ contrasted the fairly stew-like texture of the chili. Additionally, it was reminiscent of dipping toast in soup, which is something that I’m very fond of. Another interesting topping was that of the fried onions on the chili made by Cornell Catering. Again, it added great texture to the dish. I also enjoyed its sweet flavour, which contrasted the rich chili.

Overall, I very much enjoyed this experience. I got to taste very good food, and did not count the minutes left to getting back indoors, as I usually do during winter. Also, chili is deceivingly filling. I’ll keep this in mind for the Chili Cook-Off next year!

Last weekend, I got the opportunity to check out the Ithaca Chili Cook Off for the first time. We were also given some tickets which could each be redeemed for a sample of chili! They had everything from vegan chili to beef or turkey chili. It all tasted great. The event did not extend quite as far as Apple Fest did, but there were still plenty of options to choose from. Probably my favorite chili that I tried was from a restaurant which is located in the Marriott, Monks on the Commons. Afterwards, I walked over to Life’s So Sweet since they had some free samples. I had never been there before either, and they had plenty of great looking chocolates there! I got some chocolate covered chips and ginger.

Even though I have never missed a single Apple Fest, I had never even considered attending Ithaca’s Chili Cook-Off before I saw the Rose event this week. I had assumed that there wouldn’t be much for me to eat there. Much to my delight, there were so many delicious plant-based options, and even a competition category for Best Vegan/Vegetarian Chili!

Luna’s Street Food

The first chili I tried was Luna’s. It had roasted sweet potatoes and dried fruit to add a hint of sweetness. The sweet potatoes were a nice touch but not that flavorful. I actually disliked this chili, as the (non-sweet) potatoes in the chili tasted a bit off.

Greenstar Co-Op

Greenstar’s chili was actually the second place winner. The shop named it the “Vegan smoky tempeh bacon chili.” The tempeh had a fantastic, chewy texture. I didn’t really notice a “smoky” flavor but it was quite savory and rich. I enjoyed this one.

Ithaca Soy

I was actually so excited to try Ithaca Soy’s chili that I forgot to take a picture of it. They topped it with a soy-based cream sauce, and I was so excited by this feature that I practically inhaled the chili. Ithaca Soy’s chili was actually the spiciest one I tried at the Cook-Off, so the cream was a actually a wonderful complement to the chili’s burn. This was my favorite chili.

Cornell Catering

The story behind Cornell Catering’s lack of picture is the same as that of Ithaca Soy’s. They topped their veggie chili with fried onions, and, as a fried onion-fiend, I finished off the chili before I could even think about taking a picture. While the friend onions were delicious, their flavor actually did not pair that well with the chili’s flavor, which was like a very sweet barbecue sauce. It was nice, but not my favorite.

Moosewood Restaurant

Moosewood won third place in the vegetarian chili category. They described their chili as a “maple bourbon chili with sour cream scallion and tofu bacon.” I enjoyed the texture of their chili, and I liked that it had maple bourbon flavoring without being too sweet. The tofu bacon tasted a bit bland to me – I would have preferred tempeh or rice paper bacon instead.

Collegetown Bagels

While I love CTB, this chili was certainly the worst that I had tried at the Chili Cook-Off. It was supposedly tomatillo-based, yet it had none of the salsa’s signature spice. The chili itself was soupy, with very few beans. It was topped with a vegan cream that tasted very much like cream cheese – I suspect that it was just Tofutti cream cheese squeezed out of a condiment bottle, since CTB generally has it in stock. I can definitely see why this chili didn’t win any prizes.

Overall, I really enjoyed Ithaca’s Chili Cook-Off. The people were friendly, the chilis were delicious, and it was refreshing spending time in the local community after being trapped on campus all week. My number one regret is not venturing off the commons to try Gorger’s chili, which ending up winning first place.

Last Saturday, I attended the Annual Great Downtown Ithaca Chili Cook-off in the commons. We were each given several tickets for chili sample, and I tried to make a point to sample unique chilies. I can’t say I’m normally a fan of chili – I’ll eat it, but I don’t particularly like the texture and taste of tomatoes and beans, but I thought that a chili cook-off might make me change my mind.

The weather was pleasantly cooperative that day. There were a couple of showers, but at least it wasn’t freezing outside. Before I used any of my tickets, I walked around to check out all of the booths. Among the chilies, there were other samples for things like wine and sauces. After seeing the variety the cook-off had to offer, I started off with a chili that included peanut butter. I thought maybe it’d be pad thai-esque? It tasted weird. Not bad weird, but the texture and flavors didn’t immediately scream chili, but as the first warm sample I had, it was fine.

Next, I got a spicier sample, I can’t remember exactly what was in it, but there was an added maybe sweet corn chip part that was an interesting contrast. Again, it was just a different flavor combination. The sweetness really cut through the spiciness and was the predominant flavor I remember from that. I then tried a pork and turkey chili. Since I generally prefer pork and turkey over beef, I was hoping that I’d really enjoy it. To be honest, I couldn’t really taste the meat in it – my sample didn’t seem to have any visible chunks of meat, and the flavor was also off. If I remember correctly, the color was much less red than a typical chili and more watery. Sadly, this was the only sample I didn’t finish eating.

I then tried a chili calzone. I think this was the only vegetarian chili I tried. Honestly, it felt underfilled, so most of the taste was really the outside rather than the chili. Overall it was okay, but I probably will stick to calzones stuffed with cheese in the future. The next chili I chose was pretty much solely due to the toppings. I can’t remember exactly what was in it, but it was topped with a sprinkling of cheese, scallions, and an avocado crema. I don’t think I could particularly make out the avocado crema taste, but overall it looked and tasted good. My last chili sample of the day was, what I would call, a pretty standard chili. Mostly I just got it because it came with a warm buttered up roll, but the chili was also decent.

I don’t think this experience really changed my mind about chili. It was mainly enjoyable as a warm thing to eat on a winter day, but I’m still not sold on the generic flavors. The experience, though, was definitely interesting. The whole time, there were people selling cornbread to help fund healthy snacks in local schools and also people with voter registration forms and upcoming candidate information. I would encourage people to attend future chili cook-offs to see what it’s all about, even if you’re not that into chili.

At the Chili Fest this weekend, I was once again struck with how amazing Ithaca is. Even in the middle of winter with 5 inches of snow on the ground, people in the Ithaca community will come out for an event. I come from a small city that’s more than 10 times Ithaca’s size, and we probably wouldn’t have had a crowd that size to taste chili outside. It really shows that the Ithaca community is truly unique.

My favorite was probably Ithaca Beer Company’s chili. I like mostly beans with just a little bit of meat. Although I didn’t try the winning chili, so who’s to say if it was actually the best one?My least favorite was probably Moosewood’s. It had a bit too much sweet potato, and the tofu kind of had an odd texture.

I did love Moosewood’s chili sign though.

Cornell Dining’s chili: It had fried onion’s which obviously calls for bonus points

Moosewood’s

Ithaca Beer Company aka the best one in my opinion

I went to Downtown Ithaca’s Chili Cook-off today and it made me think about the name “chili”. My first thought was that it’s a variant of “chilly” or being cold since people like to eat hot food when the weather is colder. But “chili” is also an alternative spelling of “chile” which also makes sense as a name since often chili will have chile pepper/seasoning in it. But on the former but, why is it even the case that people have this preference for eating hot foods when its cold and cold foods when its hot. I get the practical concerns, like it would be pretty hard to drink a frozen beverage outside when it’s below freezing. And the origin of the tendency is pretty clear – it was only until relatively recently that people could sufficiently regulate the temperature around them. But still it seems artificial to eat stews mainly during the winter and ice cream mainly during the summer. I guess the question I’m getting at here is to what extent do cultural/social norms influence our food preferences vs legitimate practical/individual concerns. For some reason, I have the inclination it’s more of the former. But regardless Ithaca’s chili is pretty diverse and interesting. Although I will say at the cook off I didn’t see any white chili, chili dogs, or chili fries which was surprising. Also there seemed to be less people than at the Apple Festival, although perhaps that’s because of the colder weather.

This was my second year attending the annual Chili Cook Off in the commons and it does not cease to surprise me how it, as all downtown festivals, brings so many diverse people together. Everyone at the cook off gathers for one sole purpose — tasting the ultimate chili recipe — yet the event is about so much more than the food available. You can get a taste of over 25 unique chili recipes (including some vegan and vegetarian options), but there are also people selling cornbread to fundraise for healthy kid snacks and others who are enabling others to register to vote locally while informing the community about different political candidates. If anyone is seeking to learn more about Ithaca and the local community, the Chili Cook Off is definitely on my list of recommended events to attend. Part of getting off campus and going to a downtown event is getting to know more about the people whose lives influence ours during our stay in Ithaca, just as we influence theirs. You get to have conversations with people at the chili stands or the ticket booths. You get to know more about local shops/vendors that you had no idea existed. You get to learn more about the issues this community cares about or faces. Most of all, however, you get to be an active citizen in this community by being more informed and supporting the local events. It was worth getting all bundled up and spending time outdoors.

The weather was mostly cooperative today for the Ithaca Chili Cook-Off; it was sprinkling a bit, but warm enough to permit standing still outside for a few hours. The walk down to the Commons and especially back was a bit of an adventure in itself (my condolences to anyone who has to carry a backpack up that hill AND the slope every day), but it was definitely worth it. I was surprised to see not just restaurants giving out chili samples but also institutions like Cayuga Medical Center. The people asking if we’d registered as voters and the people walking around selling cornbread for to pay for healthy snacks in schools really brought it across to me that this event, for better or worse, brings the community together, and everyone knows it. There was a feeling of quiet togetherness you can only get in a smaller city like Ithaca, a subdued sense that this kind of get-together was completely natural. It was nice, given the divisive nature of the current political climate.

On the subject of the food, I personally would have enjoyed a bit more heat. That said, my friends insist my tolerance for spice can only be a mark of insanity, so it might have been for the better that the chili at the event was a bit mild. My personal favorite sample was probably the one from the Statler, but the most interesting one was definitely the chili calzone.

Overall, I enjoyed myself and am looking forward to returning next year with my wallet to maybe buy some cornbread.