Homemade Salsa Tasting Contest

CHAIR: Margie Erben

This contest is open to all homemade salsa creators. The competition is restricted to non-commercial salsa. Salsas produced on the premises of commercial kitchens or restaurants, or for resale or commercial intent, are not eligible. The salsa must be made in your home.

Entry requirements for each competition entry:

• Bring the recipe for your salsa with your entry
• Indicate on your entry the date it was made (Must be fresh made for competition or fresh preserved using the approved hot water method)
• Only one entry per participant
• Bring your entry in a one pint, sealable container such as a ball or mason jar with sealable lid or a “Zip Lock” type container with sealable lid
• All entries will be refrigerated, until judging time
• For food safety reasons, all entries will be disposed of after competition is completed. Only the empty food container (and trophy or ribbon) will be returned to the competitor
• Entries will be accepted between 8:00am and 6:00pm on Wednesday, September 21.
• The Chairperson must inspect and accept all entries for food safety reasons and their decisions are final.
• Judging will take place on Wednesday, September 27 beginning at 7:00pm. No Spectators are allowed.
• Empty containers, entry tags and ribbons may be picked up on Sunday, October,1st between 5:00pm and 8:00pm or Monday, October, 2nd between 8:00am and 12:00noon.

Samples of salsa will be tasted and judged, therefore for food safety reasons, all salsa must be made fresh on the day of competition or canned/preserved using the hot-water canning method to be considered to judging. Seals will be tested before acceptance for judging. All salsa entries will be judged in a blind judging using both plastic spoons and tortilla chips for tasting.

Entries will be judged on four criteria:

1) appearance

2) color

3) aroma

4) taste

Salsa awards will be given in the following categories:

• Best Overall Homemade Salsa (Trophy)
• Tri-Color Ribbons will be awarded in the following categories if 3 or more entries are entered:
• Best Red Salsa
• Best Green Salsa
• Best Pico de Gallo
• Best Chutney
• Best Fruit Salsa or Chutney
• Best Pepper Spread

THE COMAL COUNTY FAIR ASSOCIATION IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR LOSS, THEFT, OR DAMAGE TO ANY ENTRY.