Cancer…odds are someone in your family, a friend, or member of your community has been diagnosed with some form of Cancer.

According to The American Cancer Society’s 2012 facts and figures publication, 1,638,910 people will be newly diagnosed in 2012 (American Cancer Society, 2012).  It is estimated that 577,190 Americans are expected to die of cancer in 2012.  That amounts to 1500 people per day (American Cancer Society, 2012).

Cancer treatment is expensive and many people do not have insurance.  This means that people don’t go see a doctor unless they are sick.  Many times this means they are diagnosed at a late stage, which makes treatment more difficult.  Diagnosing Cancer early increases the chance it can be treated and survived (American Cancer Society, 2012).

How are people fighting back?  Many get involved in events that raise money for programs, research and other resources to help cancer patients and find a cure.

The Leale Family will be cooking chili this Saturday September 15^th, at the Cottage Bar’s annual Chili Cook-off.  The money raised from the contest, sale of chili samples and beverages goes to Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids.

Leale Family Chili Heads
Photo by Cassie Leale

Tony Leale has been cooking in chili competitions all over the country (all for charity) for approximately 12 years.  He’s good at it and has the trophies to prove it!  In 2004, “Missing Jack’s Chili” qualified for the World Championship in Reno, Nevada.  Tony also served as a Judge that year, but since he entered a red chili he judged the Chili Verde entries.  He is also a member of the International Chili Society (here’s the link http://www.chilicookoff.com/).

Tony Leale with Chili Cook-Off Trophies
Photo by Renee’ Gavin

The team originally consisted of Tony and two of his friends, but schedule conflicts and various other circumstances made it impossible for all three to continue to compete together.  The other team members gave their blessing for Tony to continue using the original team name, which was coined during a trip to Mexico.  The three friends had purchased local clothing and had their picture taken with a White burro (“Jack”), subsequently the team became known as “Missing Jack’s Chili” (see photo).  Just for clarity, Tony advises that no burros were actually harmed in the making of “Missing Jack’s Chili.”

The Original Team, with Jack
Photographer unk

The “Missing Jack’s Chili” team is currently comprised of Tony and his wife Nettie, who serves as his prep chef.  The two enter the Cottage Bar Contest every year.

With all his experience Tony has a number of tips for prospective chili-heads.  For the Cottage Bar contest he says flavor is the key.  It can’t be too hot or spicy, because it interferes with the judges’ palates and hampers their ability to taste.  If a judge burns his tongue, he can’t continue as a judge, has to excuse himself and offending chili is out of the contest.  He also says red chili is the rule.  In fact contestants who bring other types of chili or “Beef Stew” will get some friendly ribbing from the experts.  Tony explains that red chili evolved from chuck-wagon chili.  Cowboys on cattle drives would be fed a mix of water, spices, beef and vegetables including chili peppers.  This mix eventually evolved into chili with tomatoes resulting in a red sauce.  Tony says you also have to have beans, but not black beans or kidney beans.  Judges are looking for color, broth, meat, heat, and consistency (T.Leale, personal communication, September 2 and September 11, 2012).

Rick Leale went with his dad to many of the contests during the first 10 years.  For the past five Rick has been competing against his dad while fine tuning his recipe.  The “Hothead Chili” team consists of Rick and his wife Jeanne.  Their daughter Samantha designed their media materials.

Rick and Jeanne Leale “Hothead Chili”
Photo by Cassie Leale

Rick says that flavor, but not too much spice is the key.  He has experimented with different cuts of meat so that the meat holds the flavor and heat, not the sauce.  If your heat is just in the sauce that’s how you get a burn without being able to taste anything, anyone can make a “hot” chili.  Not only does the “Hothead Chili” team fine-tune their recipe constantly, they also frequently run test batches that friends and family sample and critique prior to the actual contest.

Now that’s the stuff!!
Photo by Cassie Leale

Rick and Jeanne Leale have been friends with Mike Gavin from Gavin Orchards for years.  Rick and Mike both serve on the Marne Fire Department.  Rick has been able to get hot peppers for his chili donated by Gavin Orchards and Mike has served as a taste tester.   Jeanne says their chili is just not the same without the peppers!

2011 Award for “Hothead Chili”
Photo by Renee’ Gavin

For the Cottage Bar contest each team must start from scratch on location.  There is no made at home crock-pot chili allowed.  Rick prefers it this way since it evens the playing field and allows for better food safety.  The “Hothead Chili” team gets downtown around 8am to set up.  Breakfast is at 9a, and includes bloody Marys and a cooks’ toast.  At 11a Jeanne starts prepping the vegetables.  At noon the fires are lit and the teams have three hours to complete their entry.  At around 230p the heat is turned off so the chili can cool to tasting temperature and at 3p the chili is turned over to the judges.  This is why Rick says it is good to practice ahead of time.  You have to have your timing right (R.Leale, personal communication September 2, 2012).

Brian Leale entered the field a few years ago.  This will be his team’s third year competing.  Brian and Hubba are “Two Boys Chili.”  Originally his team was “Three Boys Chili”, but he jokes they had to fire one because he’d just show up for the beer.

Brian’s first attempt was jokingly referred to as” beef stew” by his dad Tony and brother Rick.  Brian took it all in stride indicating that he didn’t figure he would win the first time, but it was fun anyway.  In his second year, he used a different tactic.  Brian and ‘Hubba” were debating as to whether their entry “needed something.”  Brian said, Just a minute and took a sample over to his Dad.  Tony tasted it, nodded thoughtfully and commented, ”That’s some good chili!”  Rick tasted it and said “Oh S—!”  That’s when Brian knew they had something.  Brian went back to Hubba and told him, “We aren’t changing a thing!” They took 5^th place (B.Leale, personal communication, September 2, 2012).

Chili Heads that enter these contests put a great deal of money and effort into their craft.  It can cost $100 or more just for the ingredients for a contest.  Add in the cost for equipment and supplies and this is an expensive undertaking, for a good cause and sometimes a trophy.  Usually the top ten are winners.  Placing first through third usually results in a trophy; fourth through tenth you receive recognition and bragging rights.  In the case of the Leale family it fuels the competition for next year!

The Cottage Bar has been in operation since 1927.   This Saturday, September 15th is the Annual Cottage Bar Chili Cook-off.  Dan Verhil, Owner of the Cottage Bar and One Trick Pony, used to compete in chili cook offs in the Detroit area starting in the 70’s and 80’s.

The Cottage Bar
18 LaGrave Ave SE, Grand Rapids, MI
Photo by Renee’ Gavin

In 1981 The Cottage Bar had its first chili contest.  At that time there was 1 stove, 12 cooks and a hired guitar player to provide music.  Verhil said it rained and poured all day.  Everyone had so much fun it has become an annual event ever since.

The Cottage Bar Stage
Photo by Cassie Leale

After a few years the event grew so much that Verhil had to apply for permits from the city to close down the street to allow enough room for all the cooks.  These days the contest is limited to 40 cooks due to limited space.  Verhil, aka The Head Chili, organizes the event, applies for the necessary permits, and an outdoor alcohol license. In order to enter the contest a team has to fill out the entry form which is released just after the 4^th of July.  He says the contest is filled within 2 weeks.

There are not a lot of rules but Red Chili is the standard.  He does ask that each team produce a minimum of 3 gallons of chili.  There is good reason for this.  Once the chili starts being served to hungry spectators at $1 a sample cup, it is gone within twenty minutes.

The Head Chili has no idea how many people frequent the contest, he’s too busy to take a count, but he admits that he might not be able to pull it off without sponsorship from LAV and around 25 volunteers from Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids.

The volunteers set up tables, empty the trash, sell tickets and clean everything up afterwards.  The Cottage Bar owner says the atmosphere is fun and all the cooks enjoy the friendly competitive throw down.

WLAV takes care of the music and covers the costs of event t-shirts which are then sold.  The proceeds also go to Gilda’s Club.  Verhil says that all inside sales proceeds go to The Cottage Bar and all outside sales of chili and beverages go to Gilda’s Club.  It has been estimated that last year the contest raised approximately $10,000 for Gilda’s Club (D.Verhil, personal communication, September 7, 2012).

For more information here are the links to The Cottage Bar website and Facebook Page.

http://www.cottagebar.biz/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/55172795878/

Links to WLAV website and Facebook page:

http://www.wlav.com/

https://www.facebook.com/97lav

Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids

Wendy Wigger, VP of Community Relations & Program Development, says “Dan and his team at the Cottage Bar along with the competitors are giving a gift to a number of people we interact with on a yearly basis.  The money raised by the Cottage Bar Chili Cook Off goes towards helping us offer free services to adults and children with cancer and to their families.”

Gilda’s Club is in its 11^th year and is funded by the generosity of individuals and corporations in our community.  Gilda’s Club offers more than 200 programs. Gilda’s Club provides an environment to connect with others on a similar journey.  They also have a number of community outreach programs and offer emotional health programs at various schools.  The school programs empower kids to handle difficult situations in a healthy way and helps them to know there is always someone they can talk to.

According to Wigger, “Six words sum up the goals of Gilda’s Club.  In this together…Learn.  Share.  Laugh.  No one should have to travel this cancer and/or grief journey alone.”

Gilda’s Club is independently owned and operated and has two clubhouses.”  The Grand Rapids club is located at 1806 Bridge Street NW and the other is in Lowell at 314 South Hudson St (W. J. Wigger, personal communication, September 11, 2012).

Link to Gilda’s Club Website;

http://www.gildasclubgr.org/

What can you do? Join us on Saturday September 15^th for The Cottage Bar’s 32^nd Annual Chili Cook off to raise funds for Gilda’s Club.  We hope to see you there!  Thank you, from our family to yours, Gavin Orchards.

Sources

American Cancer Society, Cancer Facts & Figures 2012.  (2012). Retrieved from Cancer.org website: http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/content/@epidemiologysurveilance/documents/document/acspc-031941.pdf