Firefighters Chili Cook-off

Firefighters Chili Cook-off

Tom Lowther, with the Rotary Club, stirs a pot during the ninth annual Firefighters Chili and Salsa Cook-off at Riverside park. Staff photo: Tim Hunt.

EATS: Who ordered the chili with a side of shrapnel?

It's been a bit chilly out there the last couple days - at least, by my standards - and Keith requested I make chili for dinner. Usually, dinner comes together without incident, meal tastes fine, and there's no surprise finds within the dish. Chili, it seems, would serve to be an exception. My chili consists of a mix of ground beef and ground turkey, black beans, cannellini beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, onions, garlic and a handful of herbs and spices. That night, I decided to clean out the fridge a bit and added chopped red bell pepper and the last of the baby portabella (cremini) mushrooms. I mixed everything together in a pot and let it simmer for a ...

Thousands attend Firefighters’ Chili Cookoff

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY -- In a festive atmosphere more like a fair than a cooking competition, throngs of chili lovers took part this weekend in the 7th Annual Indian River County Firefighters' Chili Cookoff. A crowd numbered in the thousands got the chance to taste chili of all kinds -- beef, turkey, venison, chicken and even the mythical pigalope (wild boar and antelope) -- for the two-day charity event at Pointe West. Friday night featured the International Fest-of-Ale and Fine Wine. The money raised will go to Childcare Resources of Indian River County and the Vero Beach High School band said organizer David Dangerfield, who has seen the event grow year by year. "David Dangerfield does a fantastic job every ...