Hot chili equals cool time at Round Lake fundraiser

• Sure smells good

Participant Lyle Yackley, Worthington, takes in the aroma of one of his competitor’s offerings during Saturday night’s Chili Cook-off at the American Legion in Round Lake. Yackley featured pheasant breast and thigh meat in his chili.
• Taste test

Russell Anderson, Round Lake, enjoys a spoon full of chili during Saturday night’s Chili Cookoff at the American Legion in Round Lake.

Talk about it

ROUND LAKE — The city of Round Lake may have been in danger of melting away Saturday, as the scorching scent of searing spices spread from the second annual Chili Cook-off and heated up the whole town with sizzling — but friendly — competition.

The cook-off was a fundraiser for Round Lake’s annual Winterfest, a new festival featuring a Fish House Parade on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Approximately 120 people attended the cook-off, which offered up 23 varieties of chili in mild, medium and hot versions, some with chicken, pheasant, pork or ground turkey in place of the more traditional beef.

“People are tired of winter and we can help them out with some hot chili,” said Amy Yeske of Round Lake, who brought her “Pork Pizzazz” chili to the competition.

Pork absorbs seasonings well, Yeske said, and it also provides a slightly different texture and stays moist and flavorful, gathering flavor as it sits in the fridge overnight. Though she was not willing to divulge her secret recipe, Yeske did say her chili included black beans, onions, garlic, cumin seed, tomatoes and, for that extra kick, jalapeno peppers.

“Initially you don’t think it’s hot, but it sneaks up on you,” Yeske said. “I love to cook, so why not try to be No. 1? And it’s a good support of the community.”

Though Yeske didn’t win the competition, she was the winner of one of the two bundles of meat raffled off at the event. Kevin Swanson of Round Lake won the other.

Rules for the contest were simple. Participants brought a gallon of chili in a slow-cooker, which was then given a number and a label indicating whether it was mild, medium or hot. Chili-tasters received a bowl, a spoon and a single ballot on which they could write down the number of the best chili.

Though the vast majority of the chilis were listed as medium, with a few mild and hot chilis, some of the “medium” chilis had quite the afterburn.

“I like a little zestiness,” said Brian Bosma of Round Lake, one of the chili chefs. “It’s a great community fundraiser.”

There were plenty of chilis to choose from — some sweet, some salty and some bitter — with something for nearly every palate.

“I want it to be sweet!” said Russell Anderson of Round Lake. “I don’t like this hot stuff.”

Daniel Egdorf of Round Lake disagreed, and went for the chili marked as “hot.”

“I think my hair will be sweating shortly,” Egdorf said with approval.

His wife, Maggie Egdorf, stuck with the milder chilis.

Another cook, Lyle Yackley, opted to use pheasant meat in his chili, after having been lucky during the hunting season.

“It’s different. It’s like chicken, but tender,” Yackley said. His chili included kidney beans, chili sauce, pepper sauce and Tabasco. “It doesn’t bite you right away — it’s after five or six bites.”

Yackley prescribed a dose of milk or 7-Up to help take some of the edge off.

About 120 people attended the cook-off, including the eight or 10 volunteers who helped organize the contest, said Larry Anderson of the Winterfest Committee.

In the end, Tom Drexler of Sioux Valley took first place honors, with a $50 prize, Brad Wendland of Round Lake received second place and $30, and Bosma took third place and $20.

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