Turning up the heat in the battle against cancer

Margo Knudson whipped the spoon around the reflective metal pot, making sure her concoction stayed mixed until the judges came.

For the 85-year-old former International Chili Society World Champion, the secret to good chili is simply, balance.

"You need good spices and not just a lot of one or two," Knudson said. "I use a mix of different things, but there is a lot of good chili out there that tastes very similar."

Saturday, Knudson joined 25 of her fellow red chili cooks on the lawn of Glen Eagles Restaurant, vying for a shot at another world championship. To get there, she must take top honors in one of the two regional competitions in Carson City over the weekend.

Saturday was the High Sierra Regional Cook-off, and today is the Nevada Capital Regional Cook-off. The entry fees from both events will go to help raise more than $20,000 for the Carson Tahoe Cancer Center.

In addition to tongue-tantalizing chili, the fundraiser was teeming with four-legged friends taking part in the dog contest. The dogs and their owners competed in three categories: Cutest Dog, Dog Performing Best Trick and Dog that Most Resembles Owner.

The runaway favorite in the resemblance category was a 3-year-old bulldog named Louie and his owner, Mayor Marv Teixeira.

Muffie and her owner Nannette Moffett took best trick for a routine including several of the classics, and a mutt named Serval took home cutest dog for his owner Noah Giron.

Today's activities include an all-day arm wrestling tournament.

Yet with banners proclaiming "Roadkill Diner" and "Vini, Verde, Vici," the main event was found in the pots.

Competitors could enter in three categories, red chili, green chili and salsa. Red chili must contain meat, traditionally cubed tri-tip, and sauce with no beans or fillers. Green chili has the same regulations but is usually made with pork or chicken. There were no restrictions on salsa.

Chief Judge Bob Grayson said the judges are looking for a smooth blend of the meat and the sauce without spice domination in the chilis, but the benchmarks for salsa are less concrete.

"Everyone has a different idea of what salsa should taste like. Some like fruit, some like more traditional, and some like pico de gallo style. All we told the judges was find the one you like best," Grayson said.

In addition to Knudson, the competition also featured 2004 World Champion Kathy Hipskind and her husband, David, as well as several local favorites like Richard Drum, of Carson City.

"I think what makes it good is the extra time I put in grinding the spices," Drum said.

Drum said he got into cooking competitively eight years ago because of a friendship with 1992 world champion Ed Pierczynski.

More than $1,000 in prize money will be handed out over the two-day event, along with two qualifications for the world championships, held in Omaha in October. The world champion receives a $30,000 cash prize.

The event also featured about 20 craft booths and a raffle of donated items. All of the money made from the chili tasting kits and concessions sold also went to the fundraiser because the staff of Glen Eagles volunteered their time at the event.

• Contact reporter Jarid Shipley at jshipley@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1217.