Hot Mouth

When the weather turns cold, there is nothing better than coming home from work to a Crock-Pot full of hot chili. It's part of the reason I look forward to winter so much--just thinking about opening the front door and getting a whiff of that spicy, peppery, onion-y goodness is enough to make me pray that sweater weather gets here that much faster. But without a forecast for the second weekend in November handy right now, there's no way I can promise that the skies will be gray, your hands will be cold and the chili at the Chile Pepperama will warm you from the inside out. Living where we do, it's likely that November will bring us a 75-degree day, but hey, we're nothing if not adaptable. I can, however, guarantee you a tent full of food vendors, using chili peppers in varieties of mouth-blistering ways that transcend the temperature outside. And the Texas Chefs Association Annual Chili Confrontation promises samples of chili that will have you dusting off your Crock-Pot in an attempt to recreate everything you've tasted. So, whether it's, um, chilly outside or not, Chile Pepperama will fill your tummy and get you into that cold weather frame of mind. The annual event will be held from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. at Old Town Shopping Center at the corner of Greenville and Lovers Lane. Visit chilepepperama.net for more information.
Sun., Nov. 9, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., 2008