Chilied to the Bone

Markit

Happened to accidentally go to the Chili cook off yesterday in Ubud a little late in the afternoon - as I have been meaning to go for years I couldn't really get out of it. As a chili lover and cooker [I]par excellence [/I](least I think so) I didn't really think I had much to learn about chili cooking and nothing about eating it. Since the event takes place in Ubud's only saloon (why would it need more?) it seemed like a salubrious place to get down and dirty with some spicy offerings from north and south of the border. Well to my shame I didn't try one of the 6 or 8 offered examples of the art as I was so blown away by the complete surrealism of the whole thing. Firstly it's like you've gone via Dr. Who's Tardis into another world peopled by the older (elderly) first wives of the cooking expats on the one hand and the new(ish) Indonesian girlfriends/wives of the other cooking expats (elderly too) on the other. Now both of these two groups of women are trying their level best to support their champions (1st wives because cooking keeps him out of trouble and 2nd cause that's what you do for the guy with the dosh?) and pretending to trying to be nice to each other at the same time for no reason other than possibly it's too hot to argue and they probably didn't share any known language to argue with. The Champions were being incredibly busy doing sweet feck all but eat chili as they've apparently been doing all day to judge from the spray of dried and dying chili surrounding each station. Trying to talk to these worthies about recipes or preparation was near to impossible since the music, as usual, was ear-bleedingly loud and most of them are deaf anyway and not wanting to get sprayed by second hand chili I thought hand signals and a speedy retreat the best option. Perhaps the show had lost it's youthful enthusiasm earlier in the day but if you can imagine the group of "Oracles" from the film 300, minus the dancing girl, sitting around tubs of crusty brown residue then I've painted the succulent picture correctly. Won't be attending next year.

Joe Writeson

...damn another one to cross off the 'To Do' list...next...The Hotel Door Slamming at Midnight Contest...luckily its held every week?

Markit

Markit wrote Won't be attending next year.

Not strictly the truth. A friend (yes no.idea I do have one or two) insisted that we attend again this year but earlier so will be turning up for the chili today at the "The Melting Pot" just off Monkey Forest before it dives down the hill [U][I]towards[/I][/U] the jungle on the one way system (ask RonB). So anyone that wants to extend the Expat Get together from Friday to today (15/6) and have some chili with beer come along around lunchtime! But don't blame me...!

samsiam

toilets busy ?

Markit

A great time was actually had by all (at least around our table) as the Bintangs piled up an up and the laughs got louder and louder. Chili wasn't bad either but have to say in all honesty mine is better and I will be trying to convince the crowds of skeptics of that in October when the next one is scheduled - if the liver holds out...

Smoke

[MENTION=1532]Markit[/MENTION] Keep use updated for you entry in it .Maybe I will come and taste your "famous" chili if it on a saturday or sunday