Unique ingredient helps WSHS students claim chili prize

The air in the Family and Consumer Sciences classroom at Winona Senior High School was filled with the aroma of meat, spices and … pickle juice?

Students in Shelly Spelles Hansen’s Culinary Arts Classes held a chili cook-off as their end-of-the-quarter project. Students studied various chili peppers and the history of chili, researched various chili recipes and common ingredients. 

Their challenge was to include one ingredient that would enhance their recipe that might not normally be used, and they were to be unique in their combination of ingredients. 

What did one of the winning teams use? Pickle juice, of course! 

The team of Lina Adosari, Ella Schultz and Jeananne Haines took the top spot in the second-hour class with a chili that included bacon and pickle juice. Second place in hour two went to a team consisting of Lenora Leger, Ethne Lorenz, Aryl Hernandez Torres and Lacey Brandes. 

In the first-hour class, DeCorreon Jones, Marques Webster, Neveah Mitchell and Jaylien Pierre — all 9th graders — took the top prize. The second-place team was Ray Board, Charlie Breza and Brady Marg.