Chili cook-off to heat up Nahant Saturday

NAHANT – The weather forecast calls for chilly temperatures outside Saturday, but things should be heating up inside the Knights of Columbus during Nahant Youth Soccer’s Chili Cook-off.Organizer Susan Rosa said after a year off to recharge, the cook-off is back on and participants are still welcome to get cooking and enter.”We had done this with Nahant Youth Soccer for about 50 years,” Rosa said. “We stopped for a while and then brought it back maybe six years ago.”Rosa said the plan now is to hold the event every other year.Although she organizes, ironically, Rosa doesn’t particularly like chili, but she said she is going to try at least one batch this weekend. James Goodwin has been the reigning champ for about five years running, Rosa said. Typically by the time she gets a chance to even think about tasting any of the chilis, his is gone, but this year, she said, she will make a point of trying his to see why it’s so good.She also threw down a playful warning.”We we’re going to try and knock him off the podium,” she said with a laugh.Actually Rosa will be trying two pots of chili this year, because her 12-year-old daughter has decided to enter the chili fray as well.Rosa said in past years they have had as many as 22 chili entries, but this year they stalled at 17 until her daughter began researching chili recipes and decided to give it a go.”She will make 18,” Rosa added. “If we can make something edible.”All entries will be judged by a panel that includes Selectman Richard Lombard, caterer Brett Henry, youth soccer coach Randy Hudson and Nahant Little League President Frank Botta between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. where they will pick a winner. Rosa said the doors open to the public at 5 p.m., when voting by the general public kicks off, and the event runs until 8 p.m. At the end of the night two winners, the Judges’ Choice and the People’s Choice, will be crowned and given bragging rights until 2016.People can feed the family for $25; single admissions are $10 per person.A portion of the proceeds will be used to fund a scholarship for a former Nahant youth soccer player who is now a high school senior and headed to college. The remainder of the proceeds will be used for equipment and other expenses.Rosa said the wackiest entry they’ve ever had was a venison chili, but people can expect a wide variety of sights and smells.”I’m always surprised at all the different smells and different colored chili,” she said.She said the public takes its voting very seriously as well.”It’s like they’re obligated to taste every chili and then come up with their choice,” she said. “That’s a lot of chili.”