It’s Time For Lane Kiffin To Pick His ‘Chili’
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
Hill Country Living
By Coulter Fussell
This past weekend in Water Valley was a full and fun one! The Main Street Association’s Wine Down event brought some new faces to town. I overheard one woman say that the Wine Down was “the best date night ever!” She had come to Water Valley for the first time ever to attend the event and had clearly enjoyed the evening’s special offerings. She described having no set plans for a meal when she and her husband arrived to town but having stopped on a whim for a terrific supper at the pizza place.
Speaking of, our locally beloved Hometown Pizza Café served its final pizza a few days later amid swirling rumors of what sort of restaurant is coming next. All I know is that the pressure for this new mystery restaurant to have a salad bar is immense. The community concern over losing the salad bar makes me think the place could just rebrand as Hometown Salad Bar Café and be just fine.
The Rotary Club’s Annual Chili Cook-Off went off on Saturday, which also happened to be the windiest non-tornado day I’ve ever experienced. But that didn’t stop the chili from being good!
After I paid $5 for my bowl of chili, I discussed with my fellow chili-eaters about whether one could get a scoop of chili to try and then go back to try another chili in the same $5 bowl. We collectively decided that it’s more a situation where one must commit to a single chili or purchase a second bowl. Although it’s cruel to parade 30 homemade chilis out on a table and force one to NOT try 29 of them, this approach makes financial sense for a fundraiser.
My strategy in choosing a chili this year was to pick one that looked to have qualities of both “regular chili” and “chili with extra stuff in it.” A centrist chili that Goldilocks would try.
After about 15 minutes of lifting 30 tops off 30 crock pots, I landed on a chili. It was a terrific chili! Perfect in all ways! This chili was in a white Gourmia slow cooker with black handles. I know this because, like an investigative reporter, I wrote these details down in my Notes app on my phone. I would need this information for my column later as there was no name or number attached to the chilis. I would need to describe the chili maker by his or her slow-cooker.
Fortunately, I saw Cinnamon Foster, who knows all things Water Valley, and asked her whose chili was in the white Gourmia slow cooker with black handles. She informed me that it was the chili of Mary Isaacs — not only one of the 2025 Chili Cook-Off winners but a winner of many Chili Cook-Offs past! I had chosen the chili of Chili Cook-Off royalty.
I then went next door and bought some Hotty Toddy socks and a jar of local salsa from GG’ s Flowers and Gifts. The store was packed for The Chamber’s Holiday Open House!
Unfortunately, I did not make it to the tailgating in Shuffield Park. I blame Lane Kiffin entirely. His non-commitment stressed me out too much to function during a game like that. I’d rather almost lose under a coach who likes us best. Lane Kiffin needs to choose his chili.
