What makes a good chili?

Mike Parrish certainly knows. He judges many chili cook-offs. He stopped by Thursday’s second-ever event hosted by the Manteca Historical Museum.

“There’s a lot of good home talent here,” said Parrish, who favors the right combination of meat and beans coupled with a tad of the hot stuff.

“Some people make the mistake of making their chili too hot,” he added.

Parrish, who was accompanied by his son along with a box of Ritz – “I always bring my own crackers,” he said – indicated cheese is always a good blend in chili.

That’s the topping Lynn Summers had in her ‘Winter Chili.’

“Chili is always good in winter,” she said, referring to the name of her concoction.

Her chili was also good for right now. Summers’ chili again was voted No. 1 by the roomful of samplers. A year ago, she and Kimberly Dudley, who was back with her batch ‘My Girlfriend’s Chili,’ shared top honors.

Dudley took third place.

“This contest is a takeoff of the Mayor’s Committee on the Arts,” said Leon Sucht of the Manteca Historical Society.

According to Gayl Wilson, who chaired this event, Summers will again advance to the Mayor’s Committee of the Arts chili cook-off event planned for next month at the Manteca of Senior Center.

“They’ll have to cook chili right there,” she said.

 Meanwhile, Tom Wilson and his ‘Lucky Seven Chili’ – he used seven different beans along with a Costa Rican secret ingredient – was awarded second place.

The other entries were ‘Brick Chili,’ ‘Boys Scout Chili,’ ‘Texas Chili,’ ‘Plain Chili,’ and ‘Garden Variety Chili.’

The latter was Jeanette Farley’s meatless recipe. Included were beans, onion, cilantro, salsa, chili, and garlic powder.

Jeanie Marsden noted that her ‘Boys Scout Chili’ was actually that of an old Boys Scout recipe consisting of canned chili, cheese and chips. “Those are items a Boy Scout would carry,” she said.

Gayl Wilson is already looking ahead for next year. “We’re looking to open it to more outsiders,” she said.

Peggy and Johnny Boynton can’t wait.

“Tell everyone ‘it’s on (for next year),’” said Peggy Boynton, who was sporting her University of North Carolina Tarheels sweatshirt.

She revealed the name of her recipe: ‘Carolina Chili.’