CASI cook-offs in Kingsland welcome new year with chili and black-eyed peas
JARED FIELDS • PICAYUNE STAFF
KINGSLAND — New Year’s Day is when cooks prepare their favorite black-eyed pea recipe for good fortune.
For Hill Country chili chefs, the Chili Appreciation Society International cook-offs Dec. 28-29 at the American Legion Post 437 provide the perfect opportunity to cook some black-eyed peas and chili in preparation for the new year.
“We’ve always had this as a New Year’s Eve party,” co-organizer Larry ‘Doc’ Kinnison said.
With New Year’s and Christmas falling in the middle of the week, Kinnison said it was decided to have a two-day cook-off on the weekend in the middle of the two holidays.
The Cast-Off cook-off is Dec. 28 with judging at 2 p.m, and the Just Because cook-off is Dec. 29 with judging at 1 p.m.
“We need the public to come out,” Carrie Kennison said. “We welcome new cooks.”
The Kinnisons said 40-60 entries are expected over the weekend at the American Legion Post 437, located at 118 Legion Loop.
Last year’s cook-off raised about $2,500 for the post, Doc Kinnison said.
“The only ways they have of paying bills is by donation and rental,” Carrie Kinnison said. “This helps them tremendously.”
The public can come for free, and those who want to judge are welcome to do so if they show up 30 minutes before judging begins.
A cooks’ party is 7 p.m. Dec. 27, and a community breakfast will follow the next two mornings at 9 a.m with a potluck dinner 6 p.m. Dec. 28.
For more information on the cook-offs, call (830) 613-8666 or (281) 615-2408.
jared@thepicayune.com
IF YOU GO
WHAT: CASI chili cook-offs
WHEN: Cast-Off cook-off is Dec. 28 with judging at 2 p.m.; Just Because cook-off is Dec. 29 with judging at 1 p.m; cooks’ party is 7 p.m. Dec. 27; community breakfast is 9 a.m. Dec. 28; and potluck dinner is 6 p.m. Dec. 28
WHERE: American Legion Post 437, 118 Legion Loop in Kingsland
FOR MORE: Call (830) 613-8666 or (281) 615-2408