Worth,
I am one of those who loves beans in their chili too. With out beans it is like hotdog topping or sloppy joes. Oh I sometimes like to cook eggplant chunks in to too. Anyway that's not why I'm really posting. I read the chili cookoff rules. My goodness there are a lot of rules! The list is more complex than a tax form. The one that got me though was:
G. PYROTECHNICS - No chili contestant may discharge firearms or use any pyrotechnics or explosives at a chili cookoff. Contestants discharging firearms and/or using explosives or other pyrotechnics will be disqualified from the chili cookoff.
What the heck?! Are there a lot of problems with this?
Remy