Kettle and Tin's 3rd Annual Chili Cook Off
Pulled Pork Nachos (not for judging, only eating). Click 'read more' for chili review and photos.
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I was certain of two things - I love chillies and I love slow cooked meat. The event was an amazing $10 per person, including a free drink and a taste of all the chili's on offer.
Held out the back of Kettle and Tin in Paddington in their car park, we walked down and saw the eight competitors already cooking, chopping and preparing. We also had a fantastic menu of beers, ciders and cocktails to choose from. After seeing an interesting looking cocktail I HAD to get it.
The Sailor Jerry's Bloody Mary - I requested medium spice and it was spot on. I hadn't had breakfast yet, so I felt my decision was apt as instead of celery they had a skewer of cocktail onions, pickles, beetroot, bacon, pancake and chorizo. This was a perfect start to a Sunday session.
We were a bit tipsy and sunburned by the time the first chili was served - I nearly put my voting button in Pablo's jar because of their timeliness! Pablo served a chilli chocolate chili with cornbread & guacamole. I loved the additions however the chili itself didn't have enough texture (except for the hunk of chilli found at the bottom).
Next up was Cove Bar and Dining's different take on what I have now learnt as the 'traditional' chili. But who cares when it is this delicious! Curried rice, with chilli fried prawns & fried onion - my mouth was melting. We were watching them cook the prawns and the chilli fumes were making me cough (that was a good sign that something delicious was coming).
Contestant number three was a restaurant I had not heard about before - Fiamme Trattoria from Albion. They served a beautiful ragu, apparently Nonna's recipe. I want to meet this Nonna because I had to return for seconds! We already began planning when we could go and visit the restaurant.
From a meat filled chili to a vegan one with Alkaline Warriors entry. The highlight here was their 'death sauce', this gave me flashbacks to that Simpsons episode. Recipe of the sauce was simple, the world's five hottest chili's mix together. We naively placed it into our mouths and began sculling whatever liquid was close by (akin to Homer Simpson pouring wax onto his tongue) - well done Alkaline Warriors. Definitely the hottest contestant.
At the beginning of the day we notice a huge goats leg being taken out of Team Goat's chili pot, and practically harassed them with our eyes until they opened. Goat's leg, chili and Mountain Goat's IPA all cooked together to deliver a scrumptious dish. My only complaint was that it was a bit watery and would have benefitted from being reduced more. Upside is that they served it with goat's cheese, sour cream & homebaked corn chip - yum!
Next door Petrie Terrace's Gastronomy Pub - Statler and Waldorf pulled out all the stops and were serving a smoked duck and peanut butter chili with a tabasco & freeze dried strawberry sauce. This was a game-changer, amazing flavours and textures were flying at your mouth and taste-buds.
In the corner Super What Not Bar were dishing out three types of pork chili - pork shoulder, pork sausage and pork belly slowed cooked in Holgate Brewhouse Mt Macedon Pale Ale with black beans, lime & paprika lime mayonnaise. If I wanted one of the chili's served in a giant bowl, this one would be it hands down!
Last contestant Anise decided to be punny and served something tongue in cheek. Literally. Their wagyu beef cheek and tongue child was packed with flavour and they had a range of accompaniments to add on if you choose. I loved their himalayan chili salt. Unfortunately my tongue was too tough to chew, but the beef cheek was falling apart and delicious.
Eating was the easy part - deciding on who to give our coveted voting badge was a massive hurdle. We decided the only way to help would be to have a finals round. Choosing our top four - Fiamme Trattoria, Statler and Waldorf, Team Goat, and Super Whatnot Bar. We had a second round of chili to decide. This was very polarising for our group. We were divided between Super Whatnot Bar and Statler and Waldorf. At the end of the day Anise took out the prize!
It was a great event, I am now feeling confident in my chili judging and chili cook-off attending abilities. Now to try and make my own at home, it will probably never be as good as my favourite - the Smoked Duck and Peanut Butter Chili with tabasco and freeze dried strawberry sauce.
Thanks to Ford Digital Agency for the invitation.
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Pictured: Pulled Pork Nachos (not for judging, only eating). Click 'read more' for chili review and photos.
First confession - I have never really tried chili. Maybe you could count on a chili-dog or chili-fries at an American style restaurant but never just a bowl of chili. Second confession - I have never attended a chili cook-off. I have seen The Simpsons episode when Homer walks around tasting all the chili with his special spoon and begins to hallucinate on a Guatemalan pepper - this was my only source of information prior to attending Kettle and Tin's 3rd Annual Chili Cook Off.I was certain of two things - I love chillies and I love slow cooked meat. The event was an amazing $10 per person, including a free drink and a taste of all the chili's on offer.
Held out the back of Kettle and Tin in Paddington in their car park, we walked down and saw the eight competitors already cooking, chopping and preparing. We also had a fantastic menu of beers, ciders and cocktails to choose from. After seeing an interesting looking cocktail I HAD to get it.
The Sailor Jerry's Bloody Mary - I requested medium spice and it was spot on. I hadn't had breakfast yet, so I felt my decision was apt as instead of celery they had a skewer of cocktail onions, pickles, beetroot, bacon, pancake and chorizo. This was a perfect start to a Sunday session.
We were a bit tipsy and sunburned by the time the first chili was served - I nearly put my voting button in Pablo's jar because of their timeliness! Pablo served a chilli chocolate chili with cornbread & guacamole. I loved the additions however the chili itself didn't have enough texture (except for the hunk of chilli found at the bottom).
Next up was Cove Bar and Dining's different take on what I have now learnt as the 'traditional' chili. But who cares when it is this delicious! Curried rice, with chilli fried prawns & fried onion - my mouth was melting. We were watching them cook the prawns and the chilli fumes were making me cough (that was a good sign that something delicious was coming).
Contestant number three was a restaurant I had not heard about before - Fiamme Trattoria from Albion. They served a beautiful ragu, apparently Nonna's recipe. I want to meet this Nonna because I had to return for seconds! We already began planning when we could go and visit the restaurant.
From a meat filled chili to a vegan one with Alkaline Warriors entry. The highlight here was their 'death sauce', this gave me flashbacks to that Simpsons episode. Recipe of the sauce was simple, the world's five hottest chili's mix together. We naively placed it into our mouths and began sculling whatever liquid was close by (akin to Homer Simpson pouring wax onto his tongue) - well done Alkaline Warriors. Definitely the hottest contestant.
At the beginning of the day we notice a huge goats leg being taken out of Team Goat's chili pot, and practically harassed them with our eyes until they opened. Goat's leg, chili and Mountain Goat's IPA all cooked together to deliver a scrumptious dish. My only complaint was that it was a bit watery and would have benefitted from being reduced more. Upside is that they served it with goat's cheese, sour cream & homebaked corn chip - yum!
Next door Petrie Terrace's Gastronomy Pub - Statler and Waldorf pulled out all the stops and were serving a smoked duck and peanut butter chili with a tabasco & freeze dried strawberry sauce. This was a game-changer, amazing flavours and textures were flying at your mouth and taste-buds.
In the corner Super What Not Bar were dishing out three types of pork chili - pork shoulder, pork sausage and pork belly slowed cooked in Holgate Brewhouse Mt Macedon Pale Ale with black beans, lime & paprika lime mayonnaise. If I wanted one of the chili's served in a giant bowl, this one would be it hands down!
Last contestant Anise decided to be punny and served something tongue in cheek. Literally. Their wagyu beef cheek and tongue child was packed with flavour and they had a range of accompaniments to add on if you choose. I loved their himalayan chili salt. Unfortunately my tongue was too tough to chew, but the beef cheek was falling apart and delicious.
Eating was the easy part - deciding on who to give our coveted voting badge was a massive hurdle. We decided the only way to help would be to have a finals round. Choosing our top four - Fiamme Trattoria, Statler and Waldorf, Team Goat, and Super Whatnot Bar. We had a second round of chili to decide. This was very polarising for our group. We were divided between Super Whatnot Bar and Statler and Waldorf. At the end of the day Anise took out the prize!
It was a great event, I am now feeling confident in my chili judging and chili cook-off attending abilities. Now to try and make my own at home, it will probably never be as good as my favourite - the Smoked Duck and Peanut Butter Chili with tabasco and freeze dried strawberry sauce.
Thanks to Ford Digital Agency for the invitation.
- Food Hedonist
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