Judges taste samples of 10 fruit salsas.
VENTNOR – Salsa’s a lot like pizza. It’s as unique as the person who makes it.
On Friday, Aug. 17, 20 salsa makers spent the night before chopping and blending Jersey Fresh fruits, veggies and herbs to come up with a concoction to please the pallets of eight judges, including this reporter, selected from the community of salsa lovers.
Farmers Market Managers Penny and Andy Starer and Maria Gatta organized the event.
Penny Starer said there were 10 entries in two categories, tomato based and fruit based. Entries were judged on a scale of 1-10 on appearance, texture and taste. The results were tallied and the winners were clear favorites of the judges.
Starer said he thought there was a “sizable difference” in scores between the winners and runners-up.
“Both winners won by 3 or 4 points,” Andy Starer said. “The average score was 99 out of a possible 120.”
And the winners’ recipes and approach to the contest couldn’t be more different.
Twelve-year-old Sophia of Egg Harbor Township experimented with family members on different ingredients, coming up with several versions before settling on a Caribbean-themed fruit salsa with a variety of herbs. Kurt Kwart stuck with the tried-and-true classic ingredients for his Jersey Fresh tomato salsa.
“At first I was thinking mango with Old Bay seasoning which gave me the idea for a Caribbean salsa,” Sophia said. “The final version had mango, pineapple, onion, parsley, cilantro and mint.”
Sophia said it was her first cooking contest.
“I never knew how to make salsa till the other day,” she said.
Kwart said he submitted the recipe he has made many times over the years, always the same way.
“I like salsa and make it for myself all the time. I especially like it with the fresh Jersey tomatoes we have in summer,” he said. “With the other tomatoes in winter, it’s not as good.”
His recipe had just four ingredients – tomatoes, red onion, cilantro and lime.
“I like to keep it simple,” he said.
The winners were presented with $50 gift certificates good at any market vendor.
Penny Starer said she was pleased with the number of entries and the way the inaugural contest panned out.
“For the first year, we wanted it to be simple. Now, we can come up with some new ideas for next year,” she said.
The market is held 8:30 a.m. to noon, every Friday until Labor Day weekend at Holy Trinity Parish St. James Church, Atlantic and Newport avenues across from the Atlantic County Library/Ventnor branch.
