Red, White & Bluegrass Beans...

Claude sits on the Board for the Scott County Senior Center.  This  year the Senior Center determined they would begin a new tradition, a Bean & Cornbread Cook-off to raise money for the Senior Center.

The date was picked, Friday, April 27th. The time was set, 11am to 1pm. The contestants were conscripted:

• Judge Executive for Scott County, George Lusby
• Mayor of Georgetown, Everett Varney
• Mayor of Stamping Ground, Billy Swartz
• Mayor of Sadieville, Claude Christensen

Interviews were requested by the Georgetown News-Graphic. Chef Christensen, my hubby, was quoted in the April 21st edition with this story about his 'bean history':

"My first introduction to 'bean cuisine' was as a little cowboy out west.  Beans were either baked or barbequed as a rule, but there was this thing we called 'Ranch Beans'. These were brown beans often done in a cast iron pot over an open fire. They were fairly straightforward with onion, garlic, and pork or beef in addition to the usual salt, pepper (red and black and jalapeno that you would in the area) plus whatever contribution the open fire would make such as wood ash, or sage brush.

"Later as a young man I was stationed in Louisiana where I met a pretty young southern girl who fell in love with me immediately. She had a mother who loved to cook and was very good at it. It was here in the heart of the deep South that I was introduced to 'Red Beans and Rice'. These were kidney beans soaked in water for about 10 years and cooked up with purple onion and other spices, flavored with pork, usually bacon and/or ham hock, to a thick consistency and then served over white rice. They had a different flavor than did the brown beans we ate out west and for me, the rice was a new twist. It was here that I learned cornbread was as much a religious experience as it was a meal staple.

"So as far as the cook off is concerned I'm still deciding on which direction I'll take, ranch beans or red beans, beef beans or pork beans...I have no doubt that Chef Lusby knows his way around a bean pot, which is not to say I think he's full of beans, and Chef Varney may well be the best dressed of our beaner chefs. Mayor Schwartz may be the sleeper, and I'll have to keep an eye on him as it's the quiet ones you have to watch out for.

"I'll be content to let my beans 'do the talking' and leave it at that. The fact that I'm an award winning chili maker should instill some level of fear in my competitors. Not to put too crass a point on it, but, I'm also assuming that those eating the beans will be signing a release of liability statement."

Judge Lusby was sure I would be cooking Claude's beans for him. Claude tried to assure him that was not how the cooking works at our home. You see, Claude does the cooking and I do the dishes. After cooking all the time we raised kids we somehow settled into retirement with me cooking and then slowly Claude took it over. It was not a difficult thing for me to let go of at all.

Everyone agreed that Mayor Varney would be the best dressed at the competition.

So, with several newspaper articles, with signage placed strategically around the Georgetown area, with beans and cornbread being prepared in the chef's homes as practice for weeks prior to the event, with Facebook posts in place, we approached Friday morning with Chef Christensen making his final batch of corn muffins and making sure that crockpot full of beans was in perfect flavor status.

The event was held at the Scott County Extension Office. Claude had to have his entry there a bit early so he left home before me. I arrived and found him and Judge Lusby having a nice conversation and Jarod participating. Jarod is the Judge's assistant. I did have to tease him about who he would vote for.

In a few minutes Geni was there telling us we all needed to head outside, Mayor Varney was about to make a grand entrance and we all needed to see it. Grabbing my camera we all dutifully headed outside and, sure enough, it was a grand entrance.

That's right folks, the Mayor of Georgetown, Kentucky arrived in an armored vehicle and was excorted in by three of Georgetown's finest. Mayor Varney did carry his own crock pot of chili. One police officer carried the ladle and another had a briefcase handcuffed to his wrist with Mayor Varney's secret recipe locked inside. One can only shake one's head and laugh. Love living in small town America.

There was a panel of judges made up of contributors to the event. They carefully tasted each Chef's beans and commented to each other. They took this assignment very seriously.

While the judges were tasting and conferring, the Chef's were asked to come to the front of the room and each say a little about their chili recipe. They are Chef Christensen, Chef Swartz, Chef Varney and Chef Lusby.

 

The judges made their decision. It was not a shut out but three of the four judges agreed on one of the chefs. The chefs were asked to come to the judges table for the announcement of the winning chef. Each chef was allowed to make closing comments.

Then the winner was announced. And the winner was and is...drum roll please...

The Honorable Mayor Claude J. Christensen of Sadieville, Kentucky!!!

The trophy is a cast iron pot with a plaque on the outside. Sadieville is where it will reside for the year. Next year it will be taken to the 2nd Annual Bean and Cornbread Cook-off and the winner of that competition will have the honor of keeping the trophy for a year.

Claude was one happy Chef.

This was a wonderful event and handled very well by the Senior Center. Seniors were in attendance and enjoyed their bean meal as well. They actually asked the seniors to stay seated and they would serve them their meal. All others were to get in line to receive their meal. Detta Wilson and JoCarol Wilson came in from Sadieville to support Claude. I told them I would sit with the purses as they got their beans and cornbread. The funny thing was they brought me beans and cornbread along with the seniors. I guess this could be one of the perks of having gray hair!!!

Yeah Claude!! You were the best one in your row!! Detta, JoCarol, Claude and I were already thinking ahead to add to our Sadieville sign something like 'Bean Champions of Scott County - 2012 to 2013'. What do you think???