Wisconsin Foodie

>> This week on Wisconsin Foodie... >> Well, we're getting ready for a chili cookoff tomorrow. We're participating in the WMSE Chili Cookoff. There's a bunch of restaurants, but they asked us to come in with a few firehouse teams, and they're going to be one of them. So, I'm going to make a real effort to stop burning pads. >> This is my first time making chili for the competition. We're making Bloody Mary Chili, and using kind of elements of bloody marys and chili recipes, and kind of threw it all together. Everything we're doing is vegan vegetarian. >> There's a lot of pressure. The Co-Op has won many years in a row. >> One of the neat things is we get to put on the city's biggest chili contest, probably the state's. And you get to bring the whole family and have a really amazing time. Is it for our listeners first and foremost, of course it is. >> Sure. >> Because it is a fundraiser, you know what I mean? You are helping our radio station out. But beyond that, there are people here who first come to the chili contest and then find out what it's for. That means you're doing a good job. >> That's huge, yeah. >> Wisconsin Foodie would like to thank the following underwriters for their support. Outpost Natural Foods Co-Op, and Superior Equipment and Supply. The Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board and the dairy farm families of Wisconsin are proud to support Wisconsin Foodie, helping viewers celebrate our state's vibrant food culture. With nearly 11,000 family dairy farms, the Wisconsin dairy industry generates more than $26 billion annually for the Wisconsin economy, and brings recognition to the state for producing award-winning cheeses. >> Hi, my name is Schuyler Belott. I'm a lieutenant and director of community relations for the Milwaukee Fire Department. I've been with the Fire Department for 17 years. Today, we're at the Training Academy. We have our fire department staff cafeteria lunchroom area. So, we really enjoy our cooking, and we are fortunate enough to have a kitchen here, even though it's the Training Academy and not your regular firehouse. Well, we're getting ready for a chili cookoff tomorrow. We're participating in the WMSE Chili Cookoff. There's a bunch of restaurants, but they asked us to come in with a few firehouse teams, and they're going to be one of them. So, we're getting all our prep work done today, getting it all ready to go so we can just show up tomorrow and feed the masses. Start that on fire again. I'm going to make a real effort to stop burning pads. I think I make a pretty good chili. I made a red one yesterday. Today, I've got my little chili verde, with chicken and hominy. It's a little bit different style. But I like trying new things. I have kind of my baseline with stuff like this, where you know, it's not your traditional chili, but it's gonna taste good. It's not that regular red chili, but it's gonna taste good. It's gonna maybe open up people's eyes to you know, different cultures and other ways of doing things. One of my favorite things to make is Mexican food. And that inspiration from Latin America and Mexico. I kind of get an idea and an inspiration, and I go with it. It might not be exactly what a recipe is or something traditional, but it's still gonna be really good. Mike, you wanna hand me a knife? So far, we've got our peppers and onions and spices, garlic, hominy, and black beans. Firefighters just have, competition is a big part of what we do, whether it's who can get their gear on faster, who can, you know, get to a fire quicker, who can do something better, especially when you talk about cooking with the traditions and the cultures and firehouse cooking, you know, everybody wants to do better. Everybody wants to have that little upper hand on somebody, and you know, it's all in good fun. Well, we have Al Jansen, who's won some of the past couple of years, and another chili competition. I haven't had the opportunity to participate in that. But he's always done a really nice job, so he's sort of the guy out there that everybody's got to beat, because he's got the record. He's got that behind him. This will be my first time participating in this, or even attending the event. I'm looking forward to it. It sounds like it's a pretty cool event. The meal in the firehouse is one of our great traditions. You're a family, you know. You're together for 24, sometimes 48 hours in a row. The firehouse operates like your own home. You have to cook. You have to clean. Your responsibilities first, obviously, are emergency responses and making sure your equipment and gear are ready to go. But in between that, you still live your regular life. So, a big part of that, getting people together and talking and learning about each other is around the dinner table, like it is at home. So, you know, if you get a good group of people together, you sit around and have a nice lunch, have a nice dinner, you talk about things, you learn about each other, you hang out with each other off-duty, it's a whole other family. So, that family dinner table is alive in the firehouse as well. >> My name is Gina Devecchis. We're at Riverwest Co-op and we're making chili for the WMSE Rockabilly Chili competition. This is my first time making chili for the competition. We're making Bloody Mary Chili, and using kind of elements of bloody marys and chili recipes, and kind of threw it all together. It's a basic two-bean chili. We'll have, I think, five different kinds of peppers, so it's got a bit of a kick. This is Gretchen. She also works in the caf with me. This is Brian. He is our helper throughout the whole event. And Lisa, who works at Public House, but is a good friend and wants to be a part of the chili making. >> I'm making the bloody mary mix. It's a bloody mary inspired chili, so we're adding the mix toward the end, so it has bloody mary flavors. I work over at Public House. This is where the idea kind of came up. Bloody mary inspired. They often come in to get bloody marys on Sunday. There's a lot of pressure. The Co-Op has won many years in a row, so. >> Everything we're doing is vegan vegetarian. A lot of people do like the tofu or TVP, but personally, I just really like a good, hardy bean chili. I love spice, so it's got to be spicy. You know, just a good well-rounded flavor. It's got to have everything. Ours has a little bit of a citrusy flavor too at the end, because, you know, a bloody mary has got to have the lemon and lime in there. So, hopefully, it's really good. I hope people like it. >> We are putting the bloody mary mix into the chili. It's all happening. >>...this guy!

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>> We're almost done. This is exciting. We're just gonna let it simmer for a little bit longer, and then we're gonna package it up. >> Yep. >> Yeah. >> This, over my shoulder is the WMSE College Radio Station Chili Cookoff. It's the 12th annual. And this fledgling college radio station that started in the 1980s has grown into something the whole city listens to. This great little delectable event that started 12 years ago with about 200 people has grown to something that well over 3,000 attend. There's more than 50 chilies to taste, and it's how we celebrate in Wisconsin with great flavor and great fundraising. We're heading over to Riverwest Co-Op, the reigning champions of vegetarian and vegan chili. Hi, Gina. >> Hi, how are you doing? >> How are you? >> Good. >> I'm anxious to try your chili. >> All right. Cheese? >> Always, it's Wisconsin! >> There you go. >> So, what's in here, my dear? >> It is our two-bean chili that we have also put our bloody mary mix in it. >> Did all three of you make this chili? >>

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Yep. >> If it's a good bloody mary, you've got the garnish, so what's on top? >> We have the celery. We've got pimento olive, cocktail onion, and a slice of cheese. >> Okay, here goes something. The Bloody Bean Vegan Chili from Riverwest Co-Op. Well, definitely I get the bloody mary hit, right away. I feel like I should have a little side of beer with this. >> Beer, yeah. >> We're all friends here. Oh, yeah, now I'm home. So what's famous about your chili here, McBob's? >> Well, we have a spicy garlic chicken chili. Ryan, who is one of the owners, made the chili. We're known for our heat. We won two years in a row for best heat, so we're trying again. >> Oh, my god! That's not fair! Whoa! That's hot! >> It really comes up on ya! Would you like a little sour cream? >> Yeah, I do. I would like that right away. Yeah, thank you. I just want a straight spoon of sour cream. >> I told ya, we won for heat a couple times. I warned you. >> I don't care who's voting, you win this time. >> You like heat on the side? >> I like heat right up front. That's biscuity goodness. So, I know that there's truffles or chocolate in your chili. >> Yes, there is. Right on top. >> Oh, I'm gonna love this. >> All at once. >> Dude, that's sublime. I know you're gonna win something. >> Yeah, at least the day. >> Dish me up some yard bird in a little cup. Yeah, I think I see a beak right in there. >> Yeah, yeah. >> The whole chicken. >> It's the flavor... >> So, Beans and Barley, what's your chili called? >> All right, this is our black bean sweet potato chili. We're finishing it with a lime cream sauce. >> Black bean, sweet potato, lime cream sauce. Hit me. >> You got it. >> Is it gonna be hot? Is it gonna be cool? Is it gonna be groovy? Is it gonna be vegetarian? >> It'll be the last three, but it will not be hot. That lime cream, for what heat isn't there, would finish it off. >> That lime cream is a really nice touch. The sweet potato comes through right away like you're biting into a sweet potato. >> Yeah. >> Nice, thanks. The cool thing about the MSE Chili Cookoff is that one field house can't handle all the chili. Over 50, a whole bunch down there. Now they're making me work and go to the second level. It's a lot of chili. Rock this spoon! >> Rock this spoon? You got it. It's got a delayed heat. It really kicks at the end. >> Did you soak the whole bison in peppers? Oh, my gosh! What's the name of the chili? >> The name of it? I've been jokingly referring to it as the Kitchen Sink. >> It's the Kitchen Sink Chili. Was any honey used in it? >> No honey. >> Are they any pie bits? >> Pie bits? No. >> Are there any comet chunks? >> There are, actually. >> Yes, okay, great. We've got star dust in the chili. >> Yeah. >> May I have some, please? >> Absolutely. >> Haley's Comet. >> That is a very rich, meaty chili. Possibly overwhelmingly so, yet still delicious. Yeah, this may be in fact, the ideal serving size for that chili. Nicely played. >> Thank you. >> I hope you win. >> Oh, thanks. >> Mark Borchardt, storied Milwaukee filmmaker and writer! Good to see you, man. >> Kyle, how are you doing, man? >> I'm good. Any stand outs? >> Yes, definitely. There is a certain consistency to chili that, you know, that they're looking for. That consistency actually is a robust consistency, not a watery one. It's a texture and flavor, which sounds obvious, but sometimes it's not. Chili is a good robust chili. >> There's something about a classic chili that is robust. It is hardy. That's what it was designed for. If it veers from that, it may be good soup. >> Yeah, yeah. It could be more like a stew. >> Yeah, exactly. >> It's a very privileged honor, if the fire department that's providing the chili, you know, four different firehouses. >> Think of how profound. They may be making you yummy chili one day and saving your life the next. >> Oh, absolutely, man. That's a dichotomy that you want on your side. >> Yeah, yeah. Well, may they keep saving our lives, or anybody that needs it, and may the best firehouse win. >> May the best firehouse win. >> See ya, buddy. >> See ya, Kyle. >> Tom Crawford! The viscount of college radio!

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>> This is crazy. >> Yeah. >> You know, we've had alligator chili. We've had tongue chili. We've had seafood chili. We had a white seafood chili. That chili, by the way, that was one of the chilies that made us create the "Unique" category. >> Which I think is important, because you shouldn't hold down the creativity. That's what your radio station is all about. You guys, I mean, everything from roots to soul, to reggae, to alternative, to electronica. Let's not pretend that all things are right for all people. >> But let's take it back a little bit to how it got started. If you go to the staff refrigerator, here's a group of people with like ten or 12 different hot sauces. So the chili contest was born out of DJs, you know, bringing their food in, eating during their shows, going into the fridge, grabbing their hot sauce, grabbing Endorphin Rush or grabbing Dave's Insanity, and putting it on their food. We realized that we just all love really hot food, how can we celebrate that. I subscribe to Chili Pepper magazine, because I'm nuts, you know. But I never thought I could-- >> I didn't even know there was a magazine! >> I never thought that a magazine could be so hotly fought over at the radio station by leaving a copy of that on the conference table. >> I love this. >> A new disc comes in for a band that everybody's all about, but that sits over here. Chili Pepper magazine, are you done with that? >> No, or did anybody see my Chili Pepper magazine? One of the neat things is we get to put on the city's biggest chili contest, probably the state's. And you get to bring the whole family and have a really amazing time. Is it for our listeners first and foremost, of course it is. >> Sure. >> Because it is a fundraiser, you know what I mean? You are helping our radio station out. But beyond that, there are people here who first come to the chili contest and then find out what it's for. That means you're doing a good job. >> That's huge, yeah. >> In the last few years, the innovation of the baking pan and the empty egg tray to do the load up. I mean, that's been a big one, too. >> It's a sign of commitment and chili love that people show up with muffin trays so that they can load up with 12 or 15 chilies. >> Then you see that group of people sit down at a table. The ballots come out. The talking begins. >> Yeah. >> It's pretty solid people, man. >> Thanks for this great gift. Thanks for the station. >> Oh, hey, thank you. Thanks for coming, man. >> Yeah, absolutely. >> I'm glad to serve our guests today. >> This is huge. >> Thank you. >> Thank you! You guys, that's my competition, Al Jansen right there, with Station 23. He's the reigning supreme champion of some of the other ones. >> This is just standard comfort style, a lot to love chili. Made with all natural ingredients. They're all made with the one ingredient you can't buy in the store, and that's love. All the stuff is hand cut. It's all cut to the same size. It's not done in a food processor. It's all tasted along the way. It's brought up to temperature and cooled off so the flavors meld, and then put back together. The secret to it is bloody mary mix. The tomato sauce or juice or anything, that's the base. It's all up to flavor. It's not just heat. It's all about flavors. Bold, it's right there. It's good with anything, especially a gilled cheese sandwich. >> Schuyler. Fireman Schuyler, good to meet you, man. >> Nice to meet you, too. >> So, you saved one tiny last one. I mean, you guys sold out. It was like a three-alarm fire. >> Yeah, absolutely. We had our chicken chili, the one we made with you guys yesterday. That got cleaned out way before you got here. I had another one that we made the day before with one of our other academy teams, and we managed to scrape up the last little bite we can get for you. So this is what we have. It's pretty good. But that's what we could muster up this time. >> This is like, I mean, I used to take spoonfuls of medicine that were bigger than this when I was a kid. But this is true firehouse chili. It's a privilege. Oh yeah, this is great stuff. How many stock pots of chili do you think you've made in the 17 years of your career? >> I don't know. It's something you're obviously gonna make more of in the wintertime when we get those long, cold days, and you can let something simmer in the afternoon. >> Yeah, dude, thanks for being so awesome for the city. >> Appreciate it. >> Thank you for keeping us safe. I've said it before, you make good chili, and the next day, you might be saving my life. >> Yeah. >> It's pretty profound. Thank you. >> Cool, appreciate it. Thank you very much. >> Ladies and gentleman, if I can have your attention please. Let me tell you something about firemen. Not that I know a lot, but in just getting to know them, and preparing for this event, they're very, very competitive. And they love to know who's in last place.

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In last place, Engine 37!

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Engine 37! Leaky Hose Award! Give it up for Milwaukee's finest! In third place, Milwaukee Department Training Academy Team Number 1. Give it up for Team Number 1, from the Training Academy.

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In Second Place, Milwaukee Fire Department Training Academy Team 2. Team 2, give it up for them!

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And the winner of the best firehouse chili in the City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Fire Department Engine Number 23!

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Give it up!

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Thank you, Engine 23, thank you. >> The money that you guys put in here goes for Coats for Kids. Kids who are out in the winter now without a coat will be supported by your dollars, your charities, by the companies here giving you guys chili. So, 100% thanks to you guys for making that happen. Thank you. >> All right, give it up for Milwaukee's finest. Milwaukee Fire Department. You guys are awesome! Thank you. Thank you for competing Schuyler, thank you. >> Thanks for having us.

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>> Awesome... >> Shopkeeper Ken trying to nose in on the Faux Eyes Show. Hey, you're listening to 91.7 WMSE Milwaukee. We are the radio voice of the Milwaukee School of Engineering. I'm gonna quickly tell you what you heard, weather, and then the news you've all been waiting for. We're gonna start laying down the chili tally. We've got the Ghost Pepper Number One in the studio with us.

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That's his Secret Service code name. >> Thank you. So, here we are. It is time. There were five categories that we announce. It is, Best Display Booth; the Most Unique Chili; the Best Heat; the Best Veggie; and the Best Meat Chili. I'm not gonna take anything away from anyone that's in this contest, or any restaurant that competes, but I think the level of the most kind of roll-up-your-sleeves prideful competition, people take their veggie chili very seriously. They definitely do. So this one, I think, there's a lot of our listeners that are paying attention to this category, nevermind the meat category. So this is Best Veggie. In Second Place, the second place runner-up, Riverwest Co-Op. >> The iron grip of Riverwest Co-Op... >> I know! Riverwest Co-Op. They were dethroned by Beans and Barley in First Place. >> What's up, eastside?!

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>> Beans and Barley, the winner of the Best Veggie Chili. Pretty incredible. So, without any further ado, the Best Meat category. The winner, Palomino/Comet/Honeypie. Best Meat Chili. So, Milwaukee, thanks for coming out and making the WMSE 2014 Rockabilly Chili Fundraiser the biggest, most successful one yet. Thanks to everybody. Milwaukee Fire Department, we love you, thank you. >> Wisconsin Foodie would like to thank the following underwriters for their support. Outpost Natural Foods Co-op; Superior Equipment and Supply; the restaurants of Potawatomi Bingo Casino; Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Something Special from Wisconsin; and Colectivo Coffee Roasters. The Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board and the dairy farm families of Wisconsin are proud to support Wisconsin Foodie, helping viewers celebrate our state's vibrant food culture. With nearly 11,000 family dairy farms, the Wisconsin dairy industry generates more than $26 billion annually for the Wisconsin economy, and brings recognition to the state for producing award-winning cheeses. >> There were some pretty wild display booths during the chili contest. It's one of the cool things. Restaurants love to come in and kind of dress up, dress themselves up and make their presentation amazing. There certainly was no shortage of that. Runner up was Red Rock Saloon. And the winner is, for Best Display Booth, Brewed Caf. Let's go to the Unique category. In Second Place, in the runner up position, was Caf Lulu. And the winner, in First Place for the Most Unique Chili was American Euros. So, the Best Heat, runner up is Red Rock. And the winner, McBob's. In First Place, McBob's. >> I had people come up to me and be like, "Dude, you're sweating, what's up?" I'm like, "McBob's."

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