— Red or Green? —
Name your chile at Sky City

By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

PUEBLO OF ACOMA — The top three winners in the Chili Cook-off this weekend at Sky City Casino Hotel will go to the world championship competition in October.

This year’s event is the fourth annual cook-off and offers cooks an opportunity to compete in traditional red chile, green chile and salsa, said Paul Whitney, a six-time world championship competition cook and chief judge for this weekend’s event.

This year’s event also features hundreds of Native American arts and crafts on display, including jewelry and world renown Acoma pottery.

The winners of the event’s three categories on Saturday and Sunday will receive $800 for first place in red chile; $400 in green chile; and $100 in salsa.

Each winner will also receive and Acoma pot. There is also a $100 “People’s Choice” winner for the best chile or salsa and $100 for the best decorated booth. These winners will also receive Acoma pots.

Whitney said he looks for different things in the two chile.

“I look for meat in the red chile, no vegetables, and the meat has to be cooked tender and lean, not overcooked or undercooked,” he said.

“Vegetables can be in the green chile and I prefer it with vegetables.

“Just about anything can be in the salsa, and in fact has been in events over the years” he said

“Some people have even bought salsa from stores and entered it in competition, but not often,” he said.

The Cookoff is sanctioned by the International Chile Society and draws cooks from all across the Southwest, including New Mexico, California and Colorado.

Music will be provided by “Old School” DJ with classic hits from yesterday and today.

Judging of salsa on Saturday will be at 11:30 a.m., followed by green chile at 1 p.m.

Judging for the red chile category is Saturday at noon.

“We expect more than 20 entries on Saturday and about 20 on Sunday,” Whitney said.
Winners are expected to pay their own way to the world championship again this year as every year.

To contact reporter Jim Tiffin call (505) 285-4560 or e-mail: jtiffin.independent@yahoo.com.