Chocolate chili

There's a cool nip in the air lately, a sure sign that autumn is coming and that it's time for Gold Rush Camp! Each year, Troop 701 ensconces itself at Camp Butler in Peninsula, OH for that time-honored tradition of Gold Rush.

Esprit de corps grows within each patrol as they compete with one another for gold nuggets. Events typically include Scoutcraft skills and various games.

For a couple of years, the competition even had a chili cook off. The most memorable year was when a young patrol leader, who shall remain nameless, obtained a recipe for chocolate chili. At the age of 13 or so, though, finely-measured quantities were of little import to him. Thus, instead of adding a wee bit of chocolate--say, two ounces--this intrepid young man decided to add a whole (large) bar of chocolate. More is better, right?

As one of the guests who had to endure the meal, I can attest to the fact that chocolate does add a unique character to chili. That being said, though, I would strongly recommend sticking to the quantities specified in the recipe.