Welcome to Pepperluma, California - 13th Annual Chili Cook Off Photos

"Great Petaluma Chili Cook-Off 2010"

Pepperluma's Empress of Chili and pro-fundraising femme fatal, the inimitable Laura Sunday raised the bar for significantly boosting Cinnabar youth theater program coffers at the 13th annual event's most crowded, action-packed, tastiest Chili and Salsa cook-off ever! Southern Sonoma Country Life's own Scribbles Daily dashed in for the second round of judging - the Salsa categories, hot on the heels of the official Chili judging crew and let me tell you, making a bee-line for the judges' table at the back of Herzog Hall was not an easy task.

If I had been a single lady looking for a fun-loving, All-American kind of guy, I would have been in the right place at the right time (an event that features Nor Cal's most popular independent breweries brings the bachelors out in droves). Not that the Great Petaluma Chili Cook Off isn't a family event, let's just say that the demographic does seem to attract those who have Saturday afternoons to themselves!

Outfits are more outrageous and inventive each year, as are environmental areas surrounding uniquely constructed chili team booths. Whole Foods' booth behind the judge's table was enticingly draped with a Moroccan-style canopy. Top pick on my judge's sheet for the fruit salsa category was a raspberry salsa that I'd pair with a creamy New York Cheesecake if I had a stash in the fridge at home.

Winners from the 2010 Great Petaluma Chili Cook-off, Salsa and Beer Tasting are as follows:

Grand Champions
The Tree Huggin' Hippies

Judge’s Award Individuals
1. Tree Huggin' Hippies
2. Grandma Po's
3. High Five Chili

Judge’s Award Restaurant
1. Larray's Corner Market
2. Maguire's Pub
3. Beyond The Glory

Judge’s Awards Business
1. Serendipity Chiropractic
2. Circle Bank
3. Trader Joe's

Judge’s Award Service Organization
1. Petaluma Sunrise Rotary
2. Petaluma Valley Rotary
3. North Bay Black Chamber

Judge’s Award Vegetarian Chili
1. Whole Foods
2. Tree Huggin Hippies
3. Rotaract Club

Judge’s Award Traditional Salsa
1.  CIA
2.  McNear's
3.  Petaluma Poultry

Judge’s Award Fruit Salsa
1. Petaluma Woman's Club
2. Trader Joe's
3. Steelhead Brewing

People’s Choice Award Meat Chili
1. Grandma Po's
2. Beyond The Glory
3. Rooster Run

People’s Choice Award Vegetarian Chili
1. Whole Foods
2. Rotaract
3. Tree Huggin’ Hippies

People’s Choice Award Salsa
1. High Five
2. Macho Salsa
3. Petaluma Poultry

People’s Choice Award Beer
1. Lagunitas
2. Taps

3. Moylan’s