For every real life event, there always seems to be a virtual counterpart. Amazingly, chili cook-offs are no exception. Honeysuckle White sponsors an annual "Virtual Turkey Chili Cook-off." Entries are submitted from all over the globe, making it the largest virtual cook-off event. Contestants submit their recipes online, and the recipes are prepared and tested in the Honeysuckle White test kitchens. Be sure to stop by their site for the winning recipes and a glimpse of the recipe authors.

Need hand with your chili creations? Salsas, Etc.! has an online catalog of assorted chili "kits." Here you can choose from a variety of mild to hot mixes (they're all rated with heat levels) with fanciful names such as "Ass Kickin' Chili Fixin's" and "Ozark Outlaw Snakebite Chili." All kits are priced under $5, making them a pretty good deal!

To spice up your chili, you might want to add some Cyber Sauce. This hot sauce is made from the habanera pepper--one of the hottest in the land. Allegedly registering 120,000 heat units on the thermal Richter scale (compared to Tabasco's mild 8,000), this sauce is not for the weak of heart! They've even included a scratch 'n' sniff patch on their page for those of you with multi-sensory browsers ... hey, waitaminute!

There is an abundance of chili recipes available on the Internet. If Ted's Original Texas Road-Kill Chili doesn't sound too appealing, rest assured there are plenty more recipe sites listed on Yahoo!'s Chili Recipe directory.

Whether you're preparing chili for a cook-off, barbecue, or for your own brood at home, it's always a great treat, any time of the year.

Best wishes & happy surfing!

The Webicurean™
webby@webicurean.com