For the second year in a row, the community chose Wayne’s Cafe as the winner of the annual Autumn Fest Chili Contest held at the Overlook St. Croix Falls on September 27th. This year the race was tight, with fewer than ten votes separating first from last place. Over 200 members of the public came to the event for a free chili lunch and to cast their ballots.
This year’s runners up were Grecco’s on the St. Croix (Chili C), Indian Creek Orchard Winery & Grille (Chili A), and Our Place Cafe (Chili D). Each restaurant used at least three local ingredients in their chili; some of these were home-grown, and the others came from Keppers’ Produce, Hillcrest Gardens, Honey Creek Farm, Indian Creek Elk Farm, Swank’s Meats, and Tiny Planet Produce. Crystal Ball Farm Organic Dairy provided milk and ice cream, and local baker Pat Bjork prepared the corn bread.
Bobbie Babcock, owner of Wayne’s Cafe, gave sole credit for the win to Ida Loken, the cook who prepared their chili entry. “We’re really happy all Ida’s hard work paid off for the second year in a row,” she said. “I told her she might have to sit out next year to give someone else a chance!”
This year, the Chili Contest also included a farmers’ market so that people could take home some of the same produce that was used in the chili recipes. Attendees of this free event also donated over $200 in cash to programs that help fight hunger in St. Croix Falls.
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- Chili cook Ida Loken and owner Bobbie Babcock of Wayne’s Cafe display the special trophy they won for “best chili using local ingredients.” The trophy was sculpted by local artist Jim Shoop.
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- Greg Miller of Indian Creek Orchard Winery & Grille serves a taste of their chili, which featured local elk meat and local vegetables.
