Bakers, cooks showcase skills in a test of sweet and spicy

January 26, 2014 at 6:00 a.m. | Updated January 26, 2014 at 6:00 a.m.

Rick Railton of Fulton packs up his crock pot full of chili Saturday after the annual chili and pie cookoff at the Fulton VFW. Railton's wife cooked the chili, which took second place in the mild chili category.
Rick Railton of Fulton packs up his crock pot full of chili Saturday after the annual chili and pie cookoff at the Fulton VFW. Railton's wife cooked the chili, which took second place in the mild chili category.

Local cooks and bakers were invited to test their skills Saturday at the Fulton VFW's chili and pie cook off.

The annual event brought in 30 chili entries and 25 pie entries. Sixteen judges sampled all 55 entries to determine who would take the top three spots in six different categories.

"It was all very good," event organizer Ashley Gannaway said. "They said it was hard to judge."

Gannaway came in third place in the soft pie contest, and said she loves the event from "top to buttom," but her favorite part is eating all the different chilis and pies.

The results:

Mild Chili

First place: Joni Harding

Second place: Marlene Railton

Third place: Debbie Johnson

Hot Chili

First place: Tessa Pruitt

Second place: Terry Keith

Third place: Brenna Gough

OMG (Very hot) Chili

First place: Gary Young

Second place: Dave Young

Third place: Lean Clark

Soft Pie

First place: Cathy Padgett

Second place: Raylea Meyer

Third place: Ashley Gannaway

Fruit Pie

First place: Dave Young

Second place: Dave Young

Third place: Mike Gannaway

Other Pies

First place: Lean Clark

Second place: Dave Young

Third place: Peggy Houchins