In the Anthracite region, boilo is known as a traditional cure-all for the coughs and colds of winter. And every recipe is different.

“Everybody has their little secret. They won’t give out and divulge that secret ingredient, which makes yours better than anybody else’s,” said boilo cook Tom Slane of Tamaqua.

In Tamaqua, two local volunteer fire companies host a contest each year see which chef’s recipe is best, in order to raise money for cancer research.

On Saturday, East End Fire Co. and American Hose Co. teamed up to host the eighth annual Chili-Boilo Cookoff benefiting the American Cancer Society Telethon.

The results

This year’s boilo and chili cookoff winners are:

Judge’s decision

Traditional boilo: Rich Soto

Non-traditional boilo: Tom McCarroll

Traditional chili: Sharon Connelly

Non traditional chili: Jarod Stabler

People’s choice

Traditional boilo: Jim Mansell

Non traditional boilo: Tom McCarroll

Traditional chili: Donette Miller

Non-traditional chili: Matt Coccio and Rushelle Nelson

Hillers Tavern sold the most chili pots as a fundraiser

Boilo

Chefs competed to see who made the best traditional and specialty boilo, and the best traditional and specialty chili.

Dozens of “tasters” circulated as chefs served samples of chili and boilo from their Crock-Pots.

The tradition of homemade boilo has been passed through generations in the coal region, particularly among families who emigrated from Eastern Europe.

Chefs in the competition said the cocktail of whiskey (or grain alcohol), citrus and spices is a traditional home remedy, which they were prescribed by their elders to kick colds in a hurry.

“They say if you have a cold, get a coffee cup of this, get it heated, chug it and you sweat everything out,” said Jim Mansell of Tamaqua, who teamed up with Patti Ramer in the traditional boilo category.

Boilo chef Jared Soto of Lansford theorized that the combination of ingredients of boilo are an ideal combination to knock down a stubborn cold in winter.

“A lot of vitamin D with all the fruits — all the spice to clear through it, and the liquor will punch that stuff out too,” Soto said.

Boilo cooks have built on the tradition over the years. In the specialty category, tasters could try blueberry boilo, peach boilo and a number of different apple varieties.

Some in attendance were trying the drink for the first time.

Greg Russoli traveled from the Lehigh Valley with his friend Len Hoben, a Coaldale native who likes to introduce the tradition to friends who have never heard of it. Russoli said he enjoyed the drink.

“Some is a little too strong. In general it’s great, I like the sweetness,” he said.

Chili

Just like in the boilo category, the chili cooks are serious about their recipes.

Angelique McGlinchey, who was entering the contest for the first time, said she spent about a day simmering her chili.

And just like the boilos, there were a wide variety of different specialty chilis including chicken and venison.

While spirits were high at the event, competitors didn’t lose sight of the fact that they are raising money for a very serious disease.

Many in attendance were thinking of their late friend Marlena Miksic, who died this past week after a courageous battle against cancer and was laid to rest Saturday morning.

Since East End and American Hose Co. started teaming up to hold the event, they have raised tens of thousands of dollars for the American Cancer Society Telethon, even while having to keep up with their own fundraising on behalf of their fire companies.

Organizer Art Connely said everyone involved with planning the event has been touched by cancer in some way, and there are no plans to stop anytime soon.

“This is our eighth year. The past seven years we’ve raised over $30,000. It all goes to the Cancer Society and we don’t keep anything,” he said.