Terlingua International Chili Cook-off, 2007

Chili Progress Report
Terlingua, November, 2007
Bill R. Baker

Many years ago, New York journalist H. Allen Smith got into a great debate with Dallas journalist Frank X. Tolbert over who knew more about chili. Tolbert challenged Smith to meet in the remote Texas ghost town of Terlingua in order to settle the dispute. Thus, in 1967 began the hallowed Terlingua International Chili Championship cook-offs. Smith faced Wick Fowler. There were three judges: The indomitable Hallie Stillwell (if you are a Texan unfamiliar with her, shame on you), Floyd Schneider, and Dave Witts. Stillwell voted for Smith, Schneider selected Fowler, so the final say went to Witts. He took one taste of Smith’s chili, fell to the floor, and pled his taste buds had been damaged beyond repair and he would be unable to continue. It was declared a draw.

As an avid reader of H. Allen Smith (to the best of my knowledge I own, and have read, every book he ever wrote, about forty), I was aware of that beginning. Smith wrote The Great Chili Confrontation published by Trident Press in 1969. However, when I visited Terlingua last week, I was surprised to see two “Terlingua International Chili Championship” cook-offs. Smith’s 1967 article for Holiday magazine stated, “…the chief ingredients of all chili are fiery envy, scalding jealousy, scorching contempt and sizzling scorn.” So it has proved to be with chili cook-offs. The big Terlingua rift came in 1982, when Wick Fowler brought in two European chefs to compete. By that time, as now, chef contestants had a series of hurdles in the form of local competitions they had to win before being invited to participate. They protested the foreigners (illegal aliens?) had not qualified. Fowler found their view “ridiculous” and, along with a few loyal followers, opened a new site behind Arturo White’s store the next year. It is still informally called the “Behind the Store” cook-off though formally named “Original Viva Terlingua International Frank X. Tolbert – Wick Fowler Memorial Championship Chili Cookoff.” The larger one is the “Chili Appreciation Society International” (CASI) cook-off.

This year, on November 3, some friends and I went to the CASI cook-off and a few days of camping in the Terlingua and Big Bend area. Actually, we camped (nice campers – no roughing it) in a park with full hook-ups in Study Butte. The butte is named for a local physician, Will Study (pronounced "stoody"), who around 1901 developed the Big Bend Quicksilver Mine at the eastern foot of the butte. Embarrassingly enough, the hook-up included TV cable so we watched football much of Sunday pm and evening. The other campers are fit hikers and reached the summits of several high peaks. I got a lot read on “The Jamestown Project”. The evenings were great! We sat around the campfire, told tall tales, drank moderate amounts of various beverages, and enjoyed great food prepared by our volunteer chef. The weather was wonderful.

I had not been in the Big Bend for six years. Air pollution has become a great problem. During our three full days, there were no clear views of the distant mountains. We are not being responsible stewards of our world.

The cook-off has been called, “Padre Island for Adults”. I’ll let you view a few of my photos and decide if that is a reasonable description.

Several of us volunteered to be judges, but I had to drop out. It required excellent knees to stand in the waiting line. There were contestants from all over the world,. My impression is that no more than one-third were from Texas. Cooks lined up bringing large Styrofoam cups of their chili for judging. One was carrying her covered container and a Pomeranian in her right hand while smoking with her left. By the time I turned on my digital zoom, she had finished the cigarette. Winners of the first round went to the second, etc. until a final round placed the top ten. This year’s first place winner was Debbie Ashman, from Bastrop, Texas. Steve Nadeau, of my home town of Boerne placed sixth. Steve’s wife, Margaret, won first place in 2005. This year, she was presented Rick Perry’s “Yellow Rose” award for her community service. They are a beautiful couple with Steve contributing some small part. I enjoyed meeting them, even though Margaret and I knocked each other’s hats off when we kissed. (It wasn’t the first time I have had my hat knocked off by a kiss – nor, I hope, the last). The most heartening thing I saw was a valiant male dog, missing his left fore leg, making the best of things by bracing his left shoulder against a tire while lifting his left hind leg to anoint a chosen new possession (see photo).

I appreciate, greatly, the invitation from Layman Hendrex and his hospitality in sharing his camper. Also, it gave me a great opportunity to get to know and increase my friendships with Fred Brown, Jack Horton, Jim Hull, Walter Klingman, Dale Ledbetter, Ed Prather, Melvin Carley, and Richard McGuire. I thought I knew some of them fairly well, before we went, but I know them much better, now. A truly fine collection of individual men.

Discussing the Big Bend for McCall’s in 1956, Ludwig Bemelmans said, “Leaving Highway 90 at Marathon, we came to the Big Bend country toward sunset, that part of Texas where the Rio Grand makes a U-shaped bend in its course. In a lifetime of traveling, here I came upon the greatest wonder. The mantle of God touches you; it is panorama without beginning or end. No fire can burn so bright, no projection can duplicate the colors that dance over the desert or the bare rock formations that form the backdrop. No words can tell you, and no painter can hold it. It is only to be visited and looked at with awe. It will make you breathe deeply whenever you think of it, for you have inhaled eternity.” Other than that, I have no evidence Mr. Bemelmans drank.

Pictures are more eloquent than words. See the following: