Life is a journey. Enjoy the flight and chili

Flying airplanes and eating chili might seem like an unlikely pairing. That is, until you consider that airplanes need gas and chili… well, you know.

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I enjoy chili and flying, which is why I decided to attend the inaugural South Dakota State University (SDSU) Fly-In/Drive-in chili cook-off, held recently at the Brookings Regional Airport in Brookings County, South Dakota.

I strolled into the SDSU Main Hanger, where a small crowd of people were hanging (ha!) around. The wondrous aroma of chili permeated the air thanks to a row of Crockpots situated on a long table.

The young lady in charge of things, Ahna Duggan and struck up a conversation. I learned that Duggan hails from Dubuque, Iowa, and is majoring in Aviation Education at SDSU.

I asked Duggan why she chose to pursue a career in aviation.

"I was inspired by my mom, who is a firefighter," she said. "Plus, I like hands-on activities. Flying is sort of like driving, only in three dimensions. And it's a lot more fun!"

Duggan hopes to become an airline pilot. I have no doubt that she will achieve this goal; she exudes an aura of imperturbable competence, almost like a younger version of Sully Sullenberger.

Back to the table, there were about a dozen chilis available for sampling. None of them even got close to the Molten Lava level of heat. However, this wasn't surprising as many in the Midwest believe that ketchup should be classified as a major source of spice.

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As I noshed my way down the lineup of Crockpots, I chatted with one of the entrants in the contest, Roger Svec.

"This is the healthiest chili here today," Svec said as he ladled a significant helping into my bowl.

I asked how he could make this claim, to which he replied, "The beef in it is 100% grass-fed and contains no artificial hormones or antibiotics."

Later, I learned that Svec and his family have a herd of Belted Galloways, a breed of bovines that sport a color pattern similar to a Oreo cookie. I also asked Svec how he got interested in aviation.

"When I was fresh out of college, my brother asked me if I wanted to buy an airplane with him," Svec said. "I told him that I didn't even know how to fly, but he talked me into it. Soon I fell in love with flying and have been fascinated by aviation ever since."

Svec's chili was excellent, although I was a bit disappointed when I didn't detect any Oreo flavor.

One of the more interesting chilis I sampled wasn't the hottest. This particular chili contained gentle nuances of smoke along with a blend of spices that seemed both familiar and exotic. As I sat at a table to wolf down a bowlful, I eventually struck up a conversation with my tablemates. Much to my delight, I happened to choose the same table as the chef who had crafted the chili.

Charlene Schmit and her husband, Rich, live in Howard, South Dakota. The Schmit's had learned about the chili cook-off from their niece, Lezlie Hauck, who is a senior Aviation student at SDSU.

Savoring their sumptuous stew, I asked Charlene about its spice profile. She rattled off nearly a dozen ingredients. The mention of oregano solved the mystery regarding some of her chili's more recognizable flavors.

"I also include a dash of a Korean spice mix that's used in kimchi," Schmit said.

Aha! That explains why I couldn't place the taste of her chili! I have never been to Korea, nor have I had the opportunity to try kimchi. But where did that smokiness come from?

"I smoked the hamburger before we put it into the chili," Rich said. "I crumbled the burger onto a sheet of aluminum foil, punched some holes in the foil and put it in the smoker."

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What pure genius! A trick that I will steal the next time I make chili. But our discussion about flavorsome food didn't end there.

Charlene told me that she had coped with the pandemic by making sourdough bread and how she created her own starter dough from scratch. Rich talked about some of the things he liked to smoke, briskets and standing rib roasts.

"You should have seen the Japanese soufflé pancakes that Charlene made," Rich said with a grin. "They were so fluffy that they almost floated off the plate!" My overworked salivary glands jumped into overdrive.

The chili cook-off left me filled with fellowship and (literally) full of beans.

Now, come over here and pull my finger.

About the Author

Jerry Nelson and his wife, Julie, live in Volga, South Dakota, on the farm that Jerry's great-grandfather homesteaded in the 1880s. Daily life on that farm provided fodder for a long-running weekly newspaper column, "Dear County Agent Guy," which become a book of the same name. Dear County Agent Guy is available at workman.com/products/dear-county-agent-guy.