Chili Cook-Off Draws Standing-Room Only Crowd

It was a tough contest, certainly heated, but at the end of the evening, it was incumbent Jeanne Broberg who won--the Chili Cook-Off.

Candidates for the governing board of in person, or by proxy, whipped up their steamiest vats of chili Thursday night for the monthly La Cañada Flintridge Chamber of Commerce mixer, held at the .

Judging the gugrling pots of chunky delight was Carlos Martinez, manager of . And after a hefty round of taste tests, it was Broberg who beat out her competitors: Michael Leininger, assistant superintendent for LCUSD; Ernest Koeppen, school board candidate; candidate Ellen Multari, and Cindy Wilcox, who cooked for candidate Andrew Blumenfeld.

Although Blumenfeld, who flew back to Princeton after Monday's candidates forum, did not physically attend the cook-off, his homemade Chex Mix were quite the hit. He and mom, Susan, tossed together a batch before he returned to school.

"It's his favorite snack,'' Blumenfeld said of her 20-year-old son, noting he stirred spices into Chex Mix and added peanuts and garlic bagel chips before toasting the lot together.

As for Broberg, the board member up for a fourth term overall, she credited her secret to the recipe of LCF residents Sid and Diane Karsh. Well, that and the 10 hours of simmering it took.

"I hope the school board will come out the same way,'' she said of the win.

Four candidates are vying for two seats on the school board. The election is Nov. 8.