Bring your appetite, stoke the fire and show off your culinary—and creative—skills
Whether it’s chili, barbecue, chicken-fried steak or even mashed potatoes (yep, every October in Wimberley) on the menu, cook-offs let Texans showcase their culinary—and creative—skills. Some folks in co-op country go all out for these chef-inspired celebrations, complete with costumes, decorations, (friendly) smack talk and smiles! So don your best duds, bring your appetite, bust out those Dutch ovens and grills, stoke that fire and get cookin’!
Sam Houston Electric Cooperative member Andrea Ortego, right, and fellow Chili Chix Judy Herring, left, and Ronnie Ynoscencio pose in their trophy-winning booth at the Indian Springs Volunteer Fire Department Chili Cook-Off.
Pedernales Electric Cooperative (PEC) member Joey Smith, of Circle Track Smokers, demonstrates the only way to eat ribs. Kevin and Cynthia LaRoche, PEC and Central Texas Electric Cooperative members who sent in the photo, sponsor the spices for Smith’s cook-off team.
“Oouuu … dat crawfish!” drawls Bandera Electric Cooperative member Bill Evans about this ready pot simmering with goodness: “Crawfish, sausage, corn, garlic, every pepper we could find and lots of seasoning!” Evans annually cooks up mudbugs—this year, 250 pounds!
Jan Nimtz takes a break during Boerne’s Chuck Wagon Cook-Off with a fellow everyone thought looked like Gabby Hayes, the late actor known for portraying colorful sidekicks in Western movies. Jan and husband Ed, who took the photo, are members of Bandera Electric Cooperative.
Whether it’s chili, barbecue, chicken-fried steak or even mashed potatoes (yep, every October in Wimberley) on the menu, cook-offs let Texans showcase their culinary—and creative—skills. Some folks in co-op country go all out for these chef-inspired celebrations, complete with costumes, decorations, (friendly) smack talk and smiles! So don your best duds, bring your appetite, bust out those Dutch ovens and grills, stoke that fire and get cookin’!
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