Six kinds of chili were offered at First Friday last night, but only one won Judge’s Choice and another took home People’s Choice. After sampling all the dishes, judges gave their prize to the Three Meat & Bean Chili by Century 21’s The Hamman Team, Eric and Heather Hamman. Eric said they’ve been making the chili for a while and last year won the People’s Choice Award with it. The other chili they offered up was the Pulled Pork and Pepper Chili, and they made it for the first time Friday for First Friday. The People’s Choice award was based on the public giving a penny a vote, with the winner receiving a red apron embroidered with the words “Hot Chili Nights,” the theme of November’s First Friday. Taking in the most votes from the people was James Woodcox with Home Helpers of Warsaw. “We decided to put together some chili for people for the holidays,” Woodcox said while serving up sample sizes of the chili. He said his chili was a family favorite, and he gave out flyers with the recipe on it. It’s made with 1 pound 90 percent lean ground beef, two cans chili hot beans, one large can tomato juice, one 15-ounce can petite diced tomatoes, one-third cup chili powder, 2 tablespoons crushed red peppers, 1 tablespoon minced garlic and a half medium onion diced small. The Jerky Shop owner Tom Bentele and his wife, Lisa, offered up a chili that Tom said he came up with in the middle of the night. Jerky Shop Chili’s ingredients included angus bottom round, pinto beans, onions, garlic, cayenne pepper and chili powder, topped with the shredded jerky of your choice. One Ten Craft Meatery & Steak House employee Hayden Steger and Joseph Harness were passing out samples of a white chicken chili and a black bean vegetable chili. “This was just for competition, but we do offer chilis as specials every night, especially in the colder months,” Steger said. The next First Friday is Dec. 4 and will feature the Twinkle Light Parade. There is no First Friday in January, but February’s theme is “Fire & Ice.”
