[CH] MAX SANDLIN IS WASHINGTON CHILE CHAMPION
Rob Solarion (solarion@1starnet.com)
Thu, 25 Apr 2002 19:12:45 -0600
The Dallas Morning News, Washington Bureau, By Lys Mendez, 25 April 2002
WASHINGTON -- Representative Max Sandlin, Democrat-Marshall, was the
uncontested winner Wednesday of CHILE PEPPER magazine's Zestiest Legislator
contest, after eating eight jalapeņo peppers in five minutes.
Members of the Arizona, California, Louisiana, New Mexico and Texas
delegations, dubbed by the magazine the "Chile Pepper States", were
expected to attend the Capitol Hill event. But only Mr. Sandlin showed up.
"They knew better than to challenge someone from Texas," he said.
Prepping himself with a few sips of green pepper Tabasco sauce before the
contest began, Mr. Sandlin joked that he had scared all the other
contestants away with his "trash talk".
He said that chiles are an important crop to southern states such as Texas,
and added that he hopes his feat will bring attention to the various uses
of peppers.
Joel Gregory, publisher of CHILE PEPPER magazine, said spicy food is the
fastest-growing trend in the food industry. He attributes that the the
growing influence of Hispanic cuisine, the aging taste buds of baby
boomers, the health benefits of peppers and the increase in television
shows devoted to food.
Mr. Gregory said it would be fun to bring the pepper movement to Washington.
He said he thinks eight peppers in five minutes will be the record for a while.
Representative Kay Granger, Republican-Fort Worth, showed up too late to
compete but said she was confident that she would have given Mr. Sandlin a
run for his money.
"We use chile in absolutely everything we do," Mrs. Granger said. "I never
eat eggs without chile."