fbpx
  • Subscribe & Support
  • Sign up for Free Newsletter
  • Print Edition
    • Get Home Delivery
    • Read ePaper Online
    • Newsstand Locations
  • HV1 Magazines
  • Contact
    • Advertise
    • Customer Support
    • Submit A News Tip
    • Where’s My Paper?
  • Manage HV1 Account
  • Free HV1 Trial
  • Holiday Gift Subscription
Hudson Valley One
  • News
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Crime
    • Politics & Government
  • What’s Happening
    • Calendar Of Events
    • Featured Events
      • Art
      • Books
      • Kids
      • Lifestyle & Wellness
      • Food & Drink
      • Music
      • Nature
      • Stage & Screen
  • Opinions
    • Letters
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Local
    • Special Sections
    • Local History
  • Marketplace
    • All Classified Ads
    • Help Wanted
    • Post a Classified Ad
  • Obituaries
  • Podcast
  • Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Crime
    • Politics & Government
  • What’s Happening
    • Calendar Of Events
    • Featured Events
      • Art
      • Books
      • Kids
      • Lifestyle & Wellness
      • Food & Drink
      • Music
      • Nature
      • Stage & Screen
  • Opinions
    • Letters
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Local
    • Special Sections
    • Local History
  • Marketplace
    • All Classified Ads
    • Help Wanted
    • Post a Classified Ad
  • Obituaries
  • Podcast
  • Log In
No Result
View All Result
Hudson Valley One
No Result
View All Result

Hot chili on a cold New Paltz day

by Terence P. Ward
February 2, 2017
in Community
0
Hot chili on a cold New Paltz day

Robyn Gullickson, Nylla Gullickson, Alicia Veranes, Eric Gullickson and Alex Sherwood serving local beef chili from Mohonk Mountain House at Water Street Market's Local Chili Challenge last Saturday. (photos by Lauren Thomas)

Robyn Gullickson, Nylla Gullickson, Alicia Veranes, Eric Gullickson and Alex Sherwood serving local beef chili from Mohonk Mountain House at Water Street Market’s Local Chili Challenge last Saturday. (photos by Lauren Thomas)

There’s nothing quite like a cold day to cultivate a taste for steaming hot chili. With the temperature hovering around freezing, it’s a good thing that there were 14 varieties on hand at Water Street Market last Saturday. Each was an entry in the ninth annual Local Ingredient Chili Challenge, a contest and fund raiser that benefits the food pantry at St. Joseph’s church.

SUNY New Paltz graduates of the Class of 2016 came to visit their alma mater and also checked out last Saturday’s Local Chili Challenge at Water Street Market. Left to right are: Mary Ansman, Cassidy Griger and Ella Graffin.

Water Street Market events coordinator Theresa Fall said that the challenge usually brings in the largest cash infusion to the food pantry all year, which is something considering that the fourth Saturday of January — when it’s always held — is typically frigidly cold and perhaps snowing, and the competition takes place out-of-doors. The reason for the big take is not just enthusiasm to try chili, with sample tickets starting at a dollar apiece. For the past several years, a donor has matched that amount dollar for dollar.

“We started it to educate people to think about where to get local products in the middle of winter,” she recalled. In the early years, Fall needed to keep a list of suppliers handy to ensure contestants could comply with the five-local-ingredient minimum, but she finds it’s no longer needed. “There’s so many places to source local ingredients now,” she said.

That was evident in the ingredients list provided by the purveyors. Many of the cooks boasted 14 or more local ingredients in their chili recipe. The meat versions almost always included locally-grown livestock, and the plethora of nearby farms served as fodder for many of the meat and vegan offerings alike. Bill Gehris, serving up a vegan chili from produce all grown at Ray Bradley Farm, said that it’s “as local as you can get.” Jessica Winchell from Global Palette Restaurant made her own chili powder. Ram Richard, purveyor at Rams Valley, offered customers three levels of spice from the line of hot sauces he’s developed (and which he expects to be in local supermarkets soon).

The Schatzi’s entry was bacon and jalapeno, with an avocado crema. Topping chili is de rigeur, after all. Perhaps because they only had to trundle their pot a few feet from the kitchen, there were both meat and vegan entries from the Mudd Puddle Cafe; that’s ten gallons of chili in total, which included the coffee which is roasted right on the premises. From Upstairs on 9 one could sample a goat-cheese chili rife with lime and cilantro, topped with honey. Melissa and Shane Henneberger, among the few home chefs, used a “secret combination of spices” along with local cider.

Bill Gehris and his daughter Maya serve up some local ingredient vegan chili from Ray Bradley’s Farm.

There was a Mohonk Mountain House entry for the first time after a break; Eric Gullickson said that it included locally-sourced beef and produce from Wright’s Family Farm. True to form, the entry from Gadaleto’s featured northeast-caught swordfish. Owen Maloney, entering for the first time on behalf of the new Shea O’Brien’s, said most of his produce was donated by the owner of My Market because it was for charity. Mocha chili came by way of Jar’d, Fall’s other business at Water Street Market (she herself was not a judge).

Categories include people’s choice (voting by those who paid to try the different varieties), most creative, best vegan, best home chef and best overall. This is not an easy contest to enter for the home cook. For starters, five gallons must be made to keep up with demand. Since it’s being served to the public, it has to be prepared in a commercial kitchen certified for resale. Fall, who runs the Parish upstairs at Water Street Market, said she opened that restaurant’s kitchen to some entrants. Of those hardy cooks, who also had to stand outside on a frigid afternoon serving their creation to members of the public, Fall could not say enough. “We ask a lot of them,” she said, and because it’s a charitable event, there’s no monetary prize, just the glory of being crowned the maker of the best-in-show chili for 2017.

The winners of this year’s chili challenge were: Best Professional — Rams Valley, runner up — The Parish; Best Home Chef — -Seth and Ana, runner up — Melissa Met; People’s Choice — Rams Valley, runner up — Bill Gerhis; Most Creative — Mudd Puddle, runner up — Schatzi’s; Best Vegetarian — Bill Gerhis of Ray Bradley’s farm, runner up — Mudd Puddle.

Join the family! Grab a free month of HV1 from the folks who have brought you substantive local news since 1972. We made it 50 years thanks to support from readers like you. Help us keep real journalism alive.
- Geddy Sveikauskas, Publisher
Previous Post

YouTube sensation Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox comes to the Bardavon

Next Post

Saugerties rec chief denies pressuring employees to vote Helsmoortel at 2015 caucus

Terence P. Ward

Terence P Ward resides in New Paltz, where he reports on local events, writes books about religious minorities, tends a wild garden and communes with cats.

Related Posts

Visit Kingston’s 12,240-square-foot squat, centrally located with wood-burning fireplace
Community

Visit Kingston’s 12,240-square-foot squat, centrally located with wood-burning fireplace

February 3, 2023
Saugerties to host inaugural Snow Moon Festival February 3 to 5
Community

Saugerties to host inaugural Snow Moon Festival February 3 to 5

February 2, 2023
Not-So-Sweet Fundraiser returns to Saugerties Animal Shelter
Community

Not-So-Sweet Fundraiser returns to Saugerties Animal Shelter

February 1, 2023
Neighbors protest Ulster County Veterans’ Cemetery flagpole spotlights
Community

Neighbors protest Ulster County Veterans’ Cemetery flagpole spotlights

February 1, 2023
Year three of Black History Month Kingston continues crucial conversation
Community

Black History Month Kingston: Art, music, culture, and empowerment take center stage

February 3, 2023
Who is Howard Harris, and why is he so angry at Woodstock town supervisor Bill McKenna?
Community

Who is Howard Harris, and why is he so angry at Woodstock town supervisor Bill McKenna?

January 25, 2023
Next Post
Saugerties rec chief denies pressuring employees to vote Helsmoortel at 2015 caucus

Saugerties rec chief denies pressuring employees to vote Helsmoortel at 2015 caucus

Trending News

  • One-man crime spree comes to end after Kingston man runs out of luck 3.5k views
  • Saugerties to host inaugural Snow Moon Festival February 3 to 5 1.8k views
  • The Bruynswyck Inn Oyster & Clam Bar offers fresh seafood and Shawangunk views 1.4k views
  • 20-foot, 10-wheel big rig overturns in Saugerties, injuring driver 1.1k views
  • Three-story, mixed-use building proposed for Agway property in New Paltz 1k views
  • Visit Kingston’s 12,240-square-foot squat, centrally located with wood-burning fireplace 697 views

Weather

Kingston
◉
7°
Mostly Cloudy
7:06 am5:13 pm EST
Feels like: -11°F
Wind: 15mph WNW
Humidity: 42%
Pressure: 30.23"Hg
UV index: 0
SatSunMon
23/18°F
46/32°F
45/25°F
Weather forecast Kingston, New York ▸

Subscribe

Independent. Local. Substantive. Subscribe now.

  • Subscribe & Support
  • Sign up for Free Newsletter
  • Print Edition
  • HV1 Magazines
  • Contact
  • Manage HV1 Account
  • Free HV1 Trial
  • Holiday Gift Subscription

© 2022 Ulster Publishing

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Crime
    • Politics & Government
  • What’s Happening
    • Calendar Of Events
    • Featured Events
      • Art
      • Books
      • Kids
      • Lifestyle & Wellness
      • Food & Drink
      • Music
      • Nature
      • Stage & Screen
  • Opinions
    • Letters
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Local
    • Special Sections
    • Local History
  • Marketplace
    • All Classified Ads
    • Help Wanted
    • Post a Classified Ad
  • Obituaries
  • Podcast
  • Subscribe & Support
  • Contact Us
    • Customer Support
    • Advertise
    • Submit A News Tip
  • Print Edition
    • Read ePaper Online
    • Newsstand Locations
    • Where’s My Paper
  • HV1 Magazines
  • Manage HV1 Account
  • Log In
  • Free HV1 Trial

© 2022 Ulster Publishing