Chili is one of those things I have to be in the mood for. I'm not a chili fiend, but when I want it, I want a good one. I'm happy, then, that I discovered the chili at Blue Tomato Cafe, 2215 E. North Ave.
Served with a slab of crusty baguette or crackers, I was first introduced to the vegan version, with its deep reddish umber color, which made it look mouth-searingly hot. But it wasn't.
While it was pleasantly spicy -- as in flavorful -- it wasn't didn't singe, and boasted a sweetness that comes from its secret ingredient, which I vowed not to disclose.
Next I tried a bowl -- $5.50 -- of the Carnivore Chili with meat and that same alluring sweetness. Folks who know my appetite won't doubt that I used the bread to wipe the container clean.
You can try these chilis at the cafe or you can compare it to more than 25 other chilis at this weekend's Chili Cook-Off at the Harley-Davidson Museum in the Menomonee Valley.
The event takes place Sunday, Jan. 30 from noon until 5 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance -- at participating restaurants like Blue Tomato, Stack*D, Crisp, The Eatery, Port of Call, Solly's, Bunkers, The Iron Horse Hotel, INdustri, Chili Lili's, among others.
Admission is $13 at the door. Tickets include six 3-ounce samples and soft breadsticks from Sciortino's.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
