I’m making a test batch of vegetarian chili, and getting ingredients for the Santa Cruz Boardwalk Chili Cook-off coming up next Saturday, October 25th.

I ordered beans from Rancho Gordo. They arrived a few days ago.

They are a farm in northern California that grows and sells heirloom beans. You should definitely check them out and order beans from them.

Then I headed off to the Farmer’s Market to look for other ingredients. Your chili is only as good as the ingredients, so veggies and spices need to be fresh, local and tasty.

I found fresh chiles, serranos and others.

Then it was time to get spices. First, the fresh pepper. I wanted peppercorns that were a variety. I got these at Whole Foods Market.

I bought fresh thyme and oregano at the Farmer’s Market, now I’m drying it and will put it in an airtight jar when it’s dry.

The ingredient I’ve been most worried about is the corn, since it is late for fresh corn. But I found some today from Corralitos Market, they were selling corn on the cob at the Farmer’s Market. The purchased it from a farm in the central valley. They were nice enough to sell me 6 ears. I brought it home, cut it off the cob and put it in the freezer.

So tomorrow I will make a test batch and see how it tastes…