Laredo Jalapeno Contest Results

Eating and Focusing during the contest


Receiving my Second place trophy with consternation, I wanted 1st


Laredo, Texas, I am not sure if I love it or hate it. Here are the results of the contest...

1st - "Gentleman" Joe Menchetti - 105 jalapenos (Wallingrford, CT) - $1,000
2nd - Erik "the Red" Denmark - 98 jalapenos (Seattle, WA) - $500
3rd - Benjamin Navarro - 74 jalapenos (Laredo, TX) - $250
4th - Jose A. Mar - 71 jalapenos (Laredo, TX) - $0

Here is a link to an article published about the contest (The first one has a picture of the winner, Mechetti)...

http://www.lmtonline.com/news/archive/021906/pagea1.pdf
http://www.lmtonline.com/news/archive/021906/pagea8.pdf

There should be more pictures and videos, including a live interview I did for Pro 8 news (NBC) before the contest. I will post more later...

I am sick about losing, let me say this, I should have won this contest. I had a big lead early and then slowed my pace because I did not want to risk throwing up and I thought I had a big enough lead. The weather was very uncharicteristically cold in Laredo, which is about 5 minutes grom the Mexican border. It was around 35 degrees with the windchill and the contest was held outside, which definitiely made it harder to warm up my jaw. No excuses though, I should have won, I could have won, and I will win next time...