The community of Norway Bay gathered to eat some chili and celebrate the launch of the summer season at Bristol’s Centennial Hall on Sunday evening.
Community members tasted and judged 17 chilis, and were given bread rolls to sop up the juices.
Some chilis contained the traditional ground beef and kidney beans, while others were more unorthodox.
The Aztec, a Mexican-inspired offering, contained chunks of stewed beef instead of ground beef, and made use of a warm palette of spices including cumin and cinnamon.
The Cincinnati, containing no beans at all, defied all expectations of what a chili can be, relying on the flavour of ground beef and a sweeter sauce to win over the skeptics.
But the winner of the People’s Choice Award was . . .
Bill Strutt, whose Game Day chili, a thick dish featuring salted pork and black beans, was voted the best of the night.
Strutt won a $50 LCBO gift certificate for his culinary creation.
Sunday’s event also had some Canada Day flavour, as this year’s cook-off fell on the July 1 long weekend.
Many attendees were clad in red and white as they sat together to enjoy the chili and the live music outside the hall.
The event was put on by the Norway Bay Municipal Association, the organization in charge of summer programs in the community.
Association spokesperson Beth McGahern said all the funds from the event will go toward facilitating summer programs, including athletic programs like swimming, tennis and basketball, as well as more artistic programs like photography and musical theatre.
McGahern said the event was popular in the past, but was put on pause for a few years because of the pandemic.
Association president Patrick Byrne said they brought it back this year, and he was happy to see so many people out enjoying the chili and the company.
“It’s really just an excuse to bring everyone together,” Byrne said, noting the event is really the start of the Norway Bay summer season.
He said there are still spots available in the community’s summer programs this year, and that they are open to anyone in the Pontiac who wishes to join.
