FROM the FARM: Both famous and everyday folk are fond of chili

Chili is always a satisfying favorite find.

And though some spicy stories about chili might sound like they're "full of beans," as incredible as they might seem, they are actually true.

Legendary Elizabeth Taylor made chili famous at swanky Chasen's restaurant in Beverly Hills (which closed in 1995) because of her cravings from across the globe.

While filming the 1962 feature film "Cleopatra" in Rome, where she met the future love of her life Richard Burton, Taylor's taste buds didn't do much to help the film's budget, which shot to astronomical proportions.

Among her demands on the set, Taylor sent the following cablegram to Dave Chasen: "The chili is so good. All gone now. Please send me 10 quarts of your wonderful chili in dry ice to 448 Via Appia pignatelli. — Love and kisses, Elizabeth Taylor."

Remember, this film nearly bankrupted 20th Century Fox, considering it was originally budgeted at $2 million but ended costing $44 million, the equivalent of $323 million in 2012 dollars.

(The $1 million salary paid to Taylor, resulted in actually becoming $7 million, since her poor health delayed so much of the filming, making that salary really the equivalent of $47 million in 2012 dollars.)

Taylor's praise is proof that not all chili recipes are created equally.

Next month, it's once again time to crown our region's own chili recipe stand-out for a good cause.

Merrillville High School Key Club and the Lupus Foundation of America, Indiana Chapter are hosting the 10th Anniversary Northwest Indiana Chili Cook-Off and Tasting Event at Merrillville High School, 276 E. 68th Place, from 3 to 6 p.m. March 10. This year's event is in the cafeteria and guests and contestants enter at Entrance I.

When I was first asked to be a judge for this event the year it launched in 2003, I never expected to still be critiquing delicious and inventive chili a decade later.

I'm told just five contestant spots remain and "it's first come, first served" until the March 2 deadline to fill the spots.

Applications from individuals and organizations are accepted at lupusindiana.org. You can also contact the contest committee chair Carrie Bedwell at cbedwell@mvsc.k12.in.us to request an application or call her at (219) 650.5307, ext. 7115.

Contestants can begin set up at 2 p.m. and MUST be in attendance for a meeting at 2:30 p.m.

Contestants submit a $25 refundable deposit upon registration. The check will be returned at the event or may be placed in the voting tip jar. For contestants who fail to attend, the $25 is kept as a donation to the Lupus Foundation.

Each contestant should provide an ample supply of chili to serve samples. Last year, approximately 300 people attended. Chili should be prepared off-site and brought in a container suitable for keeping the chili warm. Each contestant should provide a tablecloth and theme items to enhance presentation.

The LFA provides taste cups, napkins, bowls and spoons. Condiments and spices must be provided by the contestant. A list of rules and suggestions is available on the LFA website.

Official judging is at 4 p.m. The Judges' Award winner for the Best All-Around Chili and the People's Choice Award prizes are presented at 6 p.m.

Funds raised will be credited to each contestant's tip jar, and contestants can also donate their $25 deposit. Admission to the event is $5 at the door.

This week's recipe is just in time for the Oscars. It's for the simple chili recipe Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton would make when Chasen's wasn't a viable option. (Hard to believe? Yes, since money never seemed to be an obstacle to grant delivery to any time zone.)

The recipe was provided to me during my interview in Chicago with New York City's iconic gossip columnist Liz Smith, who just turned 89 earlier this month. It's a variation from what's featured from Texas born and raised Smith's own account in her own deliciously juicy cookbook "Dishing" (2005,Simon & Schuster, $25), accompanied in the book with the great story she wrote for Cosmopolitan magazine in 1962.

The Burtons' Favorite Judge's Jailhouse Chili

1/4 pound salt pork, cubed

4 pounds coarse ground chuck

4 (4-ounce) cans tomato sauce

4 beef bouillon cubes

4 tablespoons (or to taste) ground cumin

6 tablespoons dried garlic (or fresh equivalent if desired)

1 tablespoon (or to taste) of cayenne pepper

Salt to taste

Chili powder to taste

1/4 cup corn flower

2 (14-ounce) cans kindney beans, drained

2 (14-ounce) pinto beans, drained

DIRECTIONS: In a large heavy soup pot, render the salt pork (which means to fry the cubed pork and strain) and remove the cracklings. Brown the beef in the pork fat, while in another large pot, bring to boil 1 quart of water and the tomato sauce, bouillon cubes, cumin, garlic, cayenne, salt and chili powder. Once meat has browned, cover it with the boiling pot liquid mixture. Cover and simmer at least 2 hours. Skin any excess fat and discard. Add enough of the flour to the chili to "bind the liquid" to desired thickness, but do not add so much that it becomes "pasty." Adjust seasonings and add beans, simmering long enough to cook beans and stirring occasionally so nothing sticks. Serve with soda crackers, garnished with chopped onions and shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Makes 10 servings.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at philip.potempa@nwi.com or (219) 852-4327.