CHILI COOKOFF DEADLINE NOV. 7

There's quite a controversy brewing over chili.

How you like your chili probably depends on longtime family recipes and what part of the country you're from.

No doubt the different types of chili will be well represented in the Chili Cookoff under way, co-sponsored by the Southeast Missourian, Schaper's IGA and Sav-A-Lot grocers in Cape Girardeau and Jackson.

Chili cooks are invited to send their favorite recipes, attached to an official entry form that appears daily in the newspaper.

The contest deadline is Sunday, Nov. 7. Ten finalists will be selected to prepare their chili recipes on Nov. 13 at 10 a.m. The top winner will receive a $250 gift certificate to Schaper's IGA or Sav-A-Lot. The runner-up will earn a year's subscription to the Southeast Missourian. All recipes will be published in the Thanksgiving Day paper.

Everyone seems to have their own opinion on chili ingredients, level of spice, thickness and even color.

But most people agree that chili is a warm weather food that sticks with you, said Dr. Tom Harte, who writes a bimonthly food column for the Southeast Missourian called "A Harte Appetite.""Chili is not a dainty or elegant food," he said. "It's bold, and it packs a wallop, depending on how you make it."The fact it is easy to make and is so versatile makes it an enduring choice for cooks, he said."When I was growing up, my mother fixed a big vat of chili every Saturday. It was very chunky and thick." he said. "My wife is a great chili maker, but she doesn't use a particular recipe. It's different and delicious every time. Chili is capable of improvisation."With beans or without is a common debate among chili masters."I prefer mine with beans," said Harte.

He also likes using chunks of beef as opposed to ground beef.

In Santa Fe, N.M., spice is everything, he said. "You can ask for a bowl of green chili as well as red." It all depends on the chile peppers used. Green chili often uses pork chunks as opposed to beef, he said.

While chili is served hot, many people turn up the heat with spices and peppers. Others prefer a milder variety.

White chili is another popular favorite in recent years, made with navy beans and chicken."I like White Chili, but some people wouldn't really consider it chili," he said.

One of Harte's most unusual chili recipes includes unsweetened chocolate, which he says gives it "an intensity and richness." Another chili recipe he likes has a sweet and sour twist by using three-bean salad.

Another part of the chili debate is where this favorite food originated. Though Cincinnati can claim to be something of a chili capital because of its unique style with noodles, Harte said, chili con carne probably was invented in Texas."According to one theory, the dish originated in Texas prisons as a way to make inexpensive meat palatable," said Harte. "Another theory maintains that it was first prepared in San Antonio prior to the Civil War. And another contends that it was first envisioned by a 17th century Texas nun as she came out of a trance."And while you're at it, don't forget these burning chili questions: Grated cheese on top? What about sour cream? And should chili be eaten with crackers?"I never eat it with crackers, but my father always does," he said.

Harte is one of the Chili Cookoff judges and he's looking forward to the competition. "I love a good bowl of chili," he said.

Entry forms can be dropped off at any Southeast Missourian office, Schaper's IGA in Jackson or Sav-A-Lot locations in Cape Girardeau and Jackson.