[CH] Max Sandlin Dethroned As Chile Champion!
Rob Solarion (solarion@1starnet.com)
Sat, 15 Feb 2003 15:52:28 -0600
The Dallas Morning News, Washington Bureau, 13 February 2003
By Claire Vitucci <mailto:cvitucci@belo-dc.com>
WASHINGTON -- You've got to have a strong stomach to make it in Washington.
And it helps to know when to keep your mouth shut, as a Texas congressman
learned Wednesday when he lost a chile pepper-eating contest to a
California lawmaker.
Rep. Max Sandlin, D-Marshall, finished second in the Zestiest Legislator
Contest, losing the crown to Rep. Joe Baca, a California Democrat.
The Texan ate 40 jalapeņo peppers in five minutes, falling short of Mr.
Baca's 47 peppers.
[COMMENT : That is a much better showing than Sandlin's measly 8 peppers in
5 minutes last year. R.]
Mr. Sandlin conceded defeat reluctantly, blaming his loss on staffers who
failed to restock his pepper supply fast enough.
"They didn't really beat us," Mr. Sandlin said. "I think certainly that if
we had a tofu contest or a sushi contest that California would come out way
ahead. But clearly to be a pepper eater, you need to be from Texas."
Rep. Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth, finished last, eating a mere eight peppers.
She fanned herself throughout, letting out a "whew" whenever she bit into
an especially spicy one.
A co-sponsor of the competition with Fort Worth-based CHILE PEPPER
MAGAZINE, Mr. Sandlin tried to intimidate the other five contestants
beforehand by swigging from a bottle of green Tabasco sauce. And just
before the pepper-eating began, he gulped down a "cocktail" of milk, green
and red Tabasco sauce, and anchovy-filled olives.
[COMMENT : It makes one proud to have a Congressman who appreciates the
wonderful taste of anchovies! He just got my vote in the next election,
jalapeņos or not! R.]
"Every good party ought to have cocktails before," Mr. Sandlin said, vowing
to take back the prize next year.