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Boardman UMC sponsors annual chili cook-off
By Sean Barron
BOARDMAN
Beef, Italian sausage and jalapeno peppers are mainstays in the chili Lisa Sahrle and her sister, Beth Gregory, prepared, but Lisa will tell you that the recipe wouldn’t be complete if it failed to include lots of love.
“The chili is in honor of Sue,” said Sahrle, a fourth-grade teacher who lives in Rochester, N.Y.
Sahrle was referring to her late sister, Susan M. Hernan, who died in a drowning accident Aug. 1, 2010, at age 51 while trying to save her two grandchildren in Berlin Lake.
Sahrle’s and Gregory’s recipe, “3 Sisters Chili,” was among the spicy, mild and tangy dishes served up during Sunday’s annual Memorial Chili Cook-Off at Boardman United Methodist Church, 6809 Market St.
Nineteen entries made up this year’s friendly competition, including those from Boardman Rotary, the Paisley House, the Boardman Lions Club and the local DARE group, noted Doreen Delisio, event coordinator.
Proceeds are to be used to send children age 6 to 18 to three United Methodist-sponsored summer camps that run from late June through early August, noted the Rev. Jerry Krueger, pastor. A goal of Sunday’s cook-off was to raise at least $500, he added.
“She was such a caring, giving, loving person. She was one of those people who never said a mean word about anyone,” Sahrle said of her late sister, a 1976 Boardman High School graduate who was a nurse and was known for having taken part in numerous Boardman United Methodist-sponsored mission trips, including one to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina in August 2005.
“She always gave; it was never about her,” she said.
Hernan, a 1993 graduate of St. Elizabeth School of Nursing, also worked as a case manager for St. Joseph Warren Hospital.
Sahrle and Gregory spent a few hours at Gregory’s Pittsburgh home preparing their dish, which also contains oregano, basil, beans, cumin “and a little beer,” Sahrle explained. While doing so, they listened to the popular Nora Jones hit “Come Away with Me,” which was one of Susan’s favorite songs, Sahrle continued.
The siblings’ chili is a bit deceptive because it has a mild taste initially, but leaves a rather hot aftertaste, they said.
Dale Hawkins’ love of college sports was reflected in a type called “Arkansas Razorback Chili,” named after a men’s college basketball team in Fayetteville, Ark. The ingredients include peppers, ham, beans, onions, tomato soup and ground beef, explained his wife, Alice Hawkins.
“You can put it over noodles, if you want to make a Cincinnati chili. It’s great on hot dogs,” Alice said.
Dale prepared the dish Saturday evening, and it took a long time to cool, she continued.
“It’s similar to Wendy’s [fast-food chain], maybe, but with a little more kick to it,” Debbie Aziz said in describing her chili.
Preparing the meal was quite arduous, because it took about two hours just to cut the peppers, celery, onions and garlic before adding sauteed vegetables, beans, ground beef and sirloin cubes, she explained. The process was done in various stages, the Austintown woman continued.
“A lot of thought went into this,” Aziz said, adding that Sunday was her first time in the cook-off.
Delisio said she also wanted to recognize the Boardman High National Honor Society, Sam’s Club and Walmart for their contributions to the event. In addition, she praised the numerous volunteers for helping to make the competition possible.