The Chili'N on the Elk – Chili Cookoff / Beer & Wine Festival was held on Saturday in Clendenin.



I was really excited to be able to judge the chili portion, which included traditional, homestyle and salsa.

 
For many folks, chili cookoffs are a very competitive sport. Sure, some do it just for fun. But for others, it's serious, and they go on to bigger competitions. 

  
The Clendenin event is an ICS-sanctioned event, so the winner automatically qualifies for the World Championship Chili Cook-off held in Myrtle Beach in 2022.



The ICS guidelines say that homestyle chili must have beans, but it can also have all kinds of other fillers and flavors.



Homestyle Chili
Homestyle Chili is any kind of meat, or combination of meats, and/or vegetables cooked with beans, chili peppers, various spices and other ingredients. Homestyle chili may be any color. Beans are required. Preference is not given to either cut meat, ground meat, shredded meat or cubed meat. Seafood is allowed. 



But traditional red cannot include beans and tends to be pretty straight-forward.



Traditional Red
Traditional Red Chili is any kind of meat, or combination of meats, cooked with red chili peppers, various spices and other ingredients. Beans and non-vegetable fillers such as rice and pasta are not allowed. Preference is not given to either cut meat, ground meat, shredded meat or cubed meat.



During each of the three rounds - salsa, homestyle and traditional - there is a table with numbered containers.



We have no clue whose is whose, and we take a sample of each and write down notes. Then, you rank your top three at the bottom. I usually take a spoon to each one, with palate cleansers like tortillas or sour cream in-between, and then go back for a second taste on my top three to confirm their rankings.



It really is a lot of fun to think intently about the flavors and how they differ - especially when some chilis are so similar. 



There were some really tasty ones - I love the ones that have a different spin on them and are really well balanced. 



So, while all the delicious chili tasting is going on, there is also a whole other side to the festival that includes beer.  Local breweries and wineries like Greenbrier Valley, The Peddler, Weathered Ground, Big Timber Brewing, Screech Owl, Forks of Cheat Winery, Swilled Dog, Hawk Knob, Bridge Brew Works, Freefolk, Parkersburg Brewing, Stumptown Ales, and Chestnut Ridge were on the slate. 



On top of all the chili and beer, there were also vendors. One that I stopped at was Elk Valley Crafters. They had all kind of goodies!



From honey and maple syrup to candles and cookies, Elk Valley Crafters had a lot. I purchased some whipped honey that was chocolate flavored (they suggested dipping graham crackers in it - how good would that be!), as well as some butterfinger cookies AND a candle that I have yet to burn.



What an awesome small business that's really making the most of what they're producing. 



It was a great day to explore Clendenin. 



My friend Todd showed me the space where there is going to be a "bed & brewery."



So, I can't wait to come back to check that out! 



While here, I was also able to check out some other local restaurants that day.



So, stay tuned for those! 

OktoberWest was held last weekend on the West Side of Charleston. I had never been before, so I was super excited to check it out.



In its 13th year, OktoberWest presented by Encova Insurance is West Virginia’s largest traditional German Octoberfest and among the largest craft beer festivals in the state.



There were over 100 craft brews to sample, including several limited Octoberfest and German varieties. West Virginia breweries like Greenbrier Valley, Parkersburg Brewing, Big Timber Brewing, Bridge Brew Works, Sophisticated Hound, North End Tavern, Berkeley Springs and Bad Shepherd were all there.



Food vendors Shape Shop, Gil's Beef, Island Fixx, Dem 2 Bros, Ms Groovy's Kitchen, and Fatima's Thai Rolled Ice cream were all available - plus all the restaurants located in the Elk City area.



Bands Tropidelic and Here Come The Mummies were both so good.



Plus games like stein holding, beer belly, keg rolling, sausage toss, and best traditional dress contests. All funds raised from OktoberWest go directly back into Charleston’s West Side for programs, public art, and other community and economic revitalization projects. I was excited to volunteer for the event and provide lots of folks with their drinking cup. Have you been?

I love a good food festival.



Ribfest has been a Charleston institution for 20 years. It has been in various forms and locations, but I finally got the chance to check it out this year while over at Shawnee Sports Complex.



There were a half dozen or so rib vendors, with the only West Virginia representative being Dem 2 Bros. And a Grill. I know (and love) Dem 2 Brothers, so I wanted to try some different vendors.



Ideally, I wanted to try like a single rib from each one, but they don't sell that small of a quantity. So, I started with Johnson's Hickory Smoked BBQ. It's interesting to see the culture of these events - they have these huge displays of all the awards they've won, and this one caught my eye. 



They had a "boneless rib sandwich," which I thought sounded easy to eat and at $6, I could afford some other offerings. What I didn't realize is that this was essentially a McRib... The sauce was good though.



Then I went to another places: Cowboys Barbeque & Rib Company. I got their "taster" at $9. These were delish, but they can really be a full meal! I didn't need more after this. Super tender and flavorful, these ribs hit the spot.



Here are the other vendors I didn't get a chance to try. 



Where did you go?

"Every summer Wednesday since 1969, members of the Serbian Eastern Orthodox Church Men’s Club have gathered at the Serbian Picnic Grounds along King’s Creek outside of Weirton.



In a long, cement block building, they mill about in the dawn light, eating donuts, drinking coffee, and reading the morning paper. They’re here for a weekly fundraiser they call a “Chicken Blast,” for which they roast 300-400 chickens and sell them to the Weirton community (WVPB)."



When I was young, my family would go here often during the summer. They have a little playground where I would have fun with friends, while the adults would chat and play cards.



It's really a simple fundraiser that has turned more into a cultural phenom. It's a whole process that the locals know by heart.



Staring at 6 a.m. on summer Wednesdays, people can call 304-748-9866 to reserve their chicken. They then have to be picked up by 6 p.m. and cost $8. My dad and I made the trip so I could relive this childhood experience. He knew just where to go, and we got in line, and our chicken was ready to go.



The chicken is like a small rotisserie chicken that is hot, tender and moist. Each person could enjoy their own. It as fun to participate again and get a tasty meal. Plus, we also saw this cool Peter Tarr Furnace on the way.



Have you been?

A few weeks ago, I went to check out the West Virginia State Folk Festival.



Not only had I not been to the festival, but they were also hosting a pepperoni roll championship as part of it, so I had to check it out.



They had professionals judging the competition, I believe.



But the most fun part was that you could purchase pepperoni rolls from a huge selection of entrants. 



For $10, I secured six different pepperoni rolls to try - from local grocery stores to homemade. 



There were some with cheese, no cheese, ramps, sweeter dough, more dry dough - and everything in between.



Have you checked it out?