Visitors are invited to gather around a chuckwagon for a sampling of trail cooking at the first annual Chuckwagon Cook-off in Mountain View Sept. 18-19.
A new event this year, the Chuckwagon Cook-off will feature authentic chuckwagons and cooks competing for prize money with menus and outfits from the 1800s. Dine at a chuckwagon and enjoy the meats, beans, potatoes, breads and desserts featured in the competition.
Step back in time with characters who could be right off the Chisholm Trail. Chuckwagons will be judged on Friday, with the cooking competition held on Saturday.
Other events include a ranch rodeo, a campfire with cowboy songs and stories, vendors and more.
Sponsored by the Mountain View Area Chamber of Commerce, the chuckwagon event will be held at the Stone County Fairgrounds.
Entries from several different states are expected for this American Chuckwagon Association competition. The organization is dedicated to the preservation of the heritage of the chuckwagon.
At a chuckwagon cook-off, each wagon is judged on the authenticity of the wagon. Wagons must be in sound drivable condition, with equipment and construction available in the late 1800s. Contents of the chuck-box, including utensils, must also match what would have been used during the era. Wagons are also judged on the attire of their cooks. A typical chuckwagon cookoff is composed of five food categories: meat (usually chicken-fried steak), beans (pinto), bread (Sourdough or yeast), dessert (usually peach cobbler), and potatoes. A team of judges evaluates the entries from each wagon, giving each a score.
For more information call the Chamber of Commerce at 888 679-2859 or log on to www.yourplaceinthemountains.com.
