Hanging Kettle Chili Cookoff - Young America, MN

I was fortunate enough this past Monday to compete in and win the 2009 Hanging Kettle Chili Cookoff. To say the competition was fierce may be a bit of an understatement, but I reigned supreme none the less. Although the fame and glory that go along with such a coveted title are enough to satisfy my ego, I was lucky enough to win an 8-day Mexican vacation as well. As it turned out the whole contest was a clever ruse to attract unsuspecting entrants and chili enthusiasts into a pyramid travel scheme. After a presentation that did not meet the promise of brief or exciting the judges decisions were issued. I quickly left before the promise of cheap travel and a second income looked too good to pass up. Here is the recipe, to the best of my memory...

• 1lb beef chuck - cubed (about 1/2")

• 1lb pork loin - cubed

• 1/2lb smoked bacon - diced

• 1 medium yellow onion - diced

• 2 Chayote squash (pitted) - diced

• 3 Poblano peppers (seeded) - diced

• 1 cup black beans - cooked

• 1 cup navy beans - cooked

• 1 cup pinto beans - cooked

• 1 quart fire-roasted tomatoes - diced (canned is fine, I prefer to make my own)

• 1 16oz can coconut milk

• 1 12oz can tomato paste

• 1 pub can Guinness draught

• 1 cup chili paste*

- In a large stockpot start by browning the beef, pork, bacon on medium/high heat. Add onion, squash, and peppers, cook until onions are translucent. reduce heat to low/medium and simmer for 15 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, slowly bring chili to a boil and simmer until beef and pork are fall apart tender (salt/pepper to taste). The chili can be served immediately or even better if chilled overnight and re-heated. This makes a pretty large batch, invite some friends over and enjoy *in a food processor: dried Ancho chilis, garlic, shallots, lemongrass, cilantro, ginger root, Serrano peppers, lime juice, cumin, hot Hungarian paprika, brown sugar. (there are many varieties of pre-made chili paste that would work just fine as well)

Quang - Minneapolis, MN

I was really sick this past weekend. Sneezing, coughing, sinuses, headache, etc... the whole nine yards. Being the type of person that doesn't handle being sick very well and having no one to take care of me there is only one thing that even remotely makes me feel better, a giant steaming bowl of Pho (Vietnamese noodle soup) from one of the many fantastic soup spots on eat street. I chose Quang because it was Friday and they serve an unbelievable seabass soup on the weekends. I picked up two orders to go and went home to wallow in my own diseasedness for the next 72 hours or so. Typically it is served in a bowl the size of which you could raise a family of dolphins. There are thin rice noodles, large chunks of fish, and prawns in an artistically seasoned broth. Shredded lettuce, bean sprouts, and sliced jalapenos are served on the side to be added according to the eaters likes. Although it won't cure your sickness it will almost assuredly make you feel a bit better for a few hours. Not that I speak from experience, but it's been rumored to work great on hangovers as well...

Nelson Brothers - Clearwater, MN

When I'm on the road, sometimes I need to make a choice between eating something good or eating something fast. Today I was lucky to find both in the form of Nelson Brothers in Clearwater, MN. Located in a holiday gas station off I-94, this oasis in the harsh endless stretches of highway I find myself rambling time after time was truly a staggering surprise. Nelson Brothers monopolizes the food choices inside this grandiose truck stop. They have a sit down restaurant, bakery, gourmet coffee shop, take n' bake pizza, sandwich shop and tons of snacks, jams, and condiments. Being pressed for time I grabbed a turkey sandwich and got back on the road. The bread and ingredients were fresh and delicious, so much in fact that I decided to stop in on my way back through to grab a roast beef on olive bread and homemade navy bean soup. Nelson Brothers instantly found a home on my list of "must stop if driving through" spots...

Paradiso - Fargo, ND

Being stuck in Fargo is no picnic, but the folks at Paradiso make it practically tolerable. It's pretty much what you would expect from a mexican restaurant in the mid-west; chips and salsa on the table, a huge menu of food items almost indistinguishable from one another, and loud drunken middle aged women celebrating birthdays. The fried ice cream for dessert was fantastic, but the shots of El Tesoro Paradiso (only $10) were the icing on the cake.

Beale Street - Memphis, TN

Piles of raw oysters with Loisiana hot sauce and fresh horseradish, steaming bowls of Jambalaya, pints of dark Guinness, and live delta blues... somehow I forgot to visit Graceland.