445 AW annual chili cook-off raises funds for CFC

  • Published
  • By Stacy Vaughn
  • 445th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  The brisk Ohio breeze didn't stop approximately 100 people from attending the 445th Airlift Wing's 15th Annual Chili Cook-off Oct. 29, 2015 held in Bldg. 4026. More than $350 was raised at the event for the Combined Federal Campaign.

This year's chili cook-off featured 18 simmering pots of chili with names such as, "Dave's Dynamo Draino," "Black Bean Deer Chili," and "Stout Chili," were in the competition. The aroma of spices, peppers and various secret ingredients wafting from the various crock pots continued to linger in the air even after the last tasty morsel was devoured at the conclusion of the event.

Master Sgt. Timothy Back, 445th Force Support Squadron knowledge management superintendent, has been entering his chili in the cook-off since 2004. His entry this year, "Candy Corn Chili," included ground turkey, golden hominy, bell peppers, green chilies, and of course, candy corn added as a garnish. 

"This is a fun event for everyone. Sometimes you win, sometimes you don't but it's about having a good pot of chili and having a good time," Back said.

Judging the competition this year were Col. Jeffrey McGalliard, 445 AW commander, Chief Master Sgts. James Felton, 445 AW command chief, Mark Lockhart, 445th Maintenance Group superintendent, Sean Storms, 87th Aerial Port, air transportation superintendent, and Jason LeMaster, 89th Airlift Squadron chief loadmaster. The judges sampled each pot of chili, basing their overall score on five categories; color, aroma, texture, flavor and heat.

Once the judges set their spoons down and sipped more water after tasting some heated concoctions, a winner was selected, Tech. Sgt. Theresa Maske-Scherquist, 445th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron AE technician.

"When I make chili I just start throwing things in a pot, if the food item is red or brown, and I can see the flavor complimenting chili it can go in the pot. For this batch of chili I used ground beef, chorizo, kidney beans, black beans, a fresh ghost pepper from my dad's garden, maple syrup, a lot of seasonings, tomatoes, and many other things that I cannot even remember,"  Maske-Scherquist said. "I am very thankful for my AES co-workers who became my taste-testers during the cooking process."