Yesterday I participated in a nacho competition!! It was great fun.

[caption id="attachment_4856" align="alignleft" width="1024" caption="Table of Nachos!"]<a rel="attachment wp-att-4856" href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4856"><img class="size-large wp-image-4856" title="Table of Nachos!" src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/DSC02465-1024x768.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="768" /></a>[/caption]

And, drum roll please, for the second year in a row, I garnered an honorable mention for my nachos!!

<em>Hip-hip-hooray</em>.

[caption id="attachment_4857" align="alignleft" width="1024" caption="My Nachos!"]<a rel="attachment wp-att-4857" href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4857"><img class="size-large wp-image-4857" title="My Nachos!" src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/DSC02467-1024x768.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="768" /></a>[/caption]

Sure some might be disappointed by not placing in the top three or in actually winning but not me. In my mind it's not winning the competition that's most important, it's whether or not you're left with any nachos at the end of the night. And I am happy to report that both years my nachos were completely devoured.

[caption id="attachment_4858" align="alignleft" width="614" caption="A Beautiful Plate of Nachos"]<a rel="attachment wp-att-4858" href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4858"><img class="size-large wp-image-4858 " title="A Beautiful Plate of Nachos" src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/DSC02468-1024x768.jpg" alt="" width="614" height="461" /></a>[/caption]

There you have it. An empty plate is the best sign of how good the nachos are!!

Last year I went with the sweet nacho--refried beans, strawberry salsa and topped the nachos with brie. This year I went simple and spicy. I labored over spicy homemade refried beans and then layered up my tortilla chips with the beans, two kinds of cheese, green onion, spicy green peppers and sour cream.

[caption id="attachment_4859" align="alignleft" width="614" caption="One happy Judge"]<a rel="attachment wp-att-4859" href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4859"><img class="size-large wp-image-4859 " title="One happy Judge " src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/DSC02475-1024x768.jpg" alt="" width="614" height="461" /></a>[/caption]

I skipped the tomatoes, guacamole and olives in favor of focusing on a few great ingredients. This is probably why I didn't win but that's okay. The nachos were tasty.

[caption id="attachment_4860" align="alignleft" width="614" caption="Enjoying Nachos"]<a rel="attachment wp-att-4860" href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4860"><img class="size-large wp-image-4860 " title="Enjoying Nachos" src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/DSC02477-1024x768.jpg" alt="" width="614" height="461" /></a>[/caption]

The big problem is that with 12-plus entries all of the nachos are tasty. Some just are more tasty. Some you like more than others. Everyone has his own taste for what makes a great plate of nachos.

We have judges who take their jobs very seriously--from creating a nacho rubric to wearing costumes and sampling all of the nachos before announcing the winners. The seriousness with which they take their thankless-job was commendable.

[caption id="attachment_4861" align="alignleft" width="614" caption="Nachos, Nachos everywhere!"]<a rel="attachment wp-att-4861" href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4861"><img class="size-large wp-image-4861 " title="Nachos, Nachos everywhere!" src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/DSC02479-1024x768.jpg" alt="" width="614" height="461" /></a>[/caption]

After 20 minutes or so of eating, judging and cleaning their pallets with Corona, the rest of us were allowed to dig in. The winners were announced and we spent the rest of the night eating (or over-eating as the case may be), chatting and otherwise celebrating Cinco de Mayo.