Ready for the party to begin!
I’m a bit reluctant to admit it…but it’s been forever since Koen and I have thrown a birthday party. We decided there’s no time like the present! So in honor of Koen’s birthday we threw a Chili Cookoff!
The idea is that everyone brings a pot of their own chili, then one by one, beginning with the least spicy to most spicy, we evaluate and grade all of the chilis. The winning chili wins a pot of dried Ghost Chili Peppers!
We had an impressive 8 chilis to taste, and no 2 chilis were alike. And the winner …. Chris and Hannah!
Jeroen playing Fall Out before the party begins
Sofie’s cherry pie about to go into the oven
Fresh out of the oven!
Sofie’s raw chocolate raspberry cake
Birthday Boy
Els and Jeroen
Wesley and Barbara
Hannah and Maartje
Jeroen and Sofie
The men and their beer
Ready for the tasting to begin!
Getting the first chili ready
Chili #1: Barbara, vegetarian topped with sour cream, cilantro, avocado, and lime
3rd Place Chili #2: Els, white bean chili with chorizo topped with pineapple and mango
Chili #3: Dook, with pork belly, kidney beans, corn and bell pepper, served with a tortilla slice
Chili #4: Arie, ground beef with a hint of Bourbon
The guys with their score cards
Arie and Dook
Chili #5: Wesley, chili with chicken and rice
Chili #6, mine! Chocolate 10 spice chili with sweet potatoes and corn
1st Place Chili #7: Chris and Hannah, very spicy slow cooked beef topped with sour cream
2nd Place Chili #8: Koen, super spicy slow cooked beef served with homemade sourdough bread
Koen announcing the winners
Chris and Hannah win the ghost peppers!
Koen opening gifts
Rotterdam jersey
Sofie with her homemade birthday cherry pie!
Happy birthday, Koen!
An American in Antwerp 