Twelve contestants entered the First Annual Burke Area Farmers Market Salsa Contest on Thursday, September 21st. Dedicated customers sampled a wide variety of delicious salsa combinations. Many went back for seconds before voting for their favorite in 4 categories: Best Fresh, Best Canned, Most Unusual, and (of course) Hottest. Best Canned went to Emily Boes with her Family Secret Canned Salsa. Hottest went to Tarell Bauld’s Burn Your Face Off Salsa. And Best Fresh and Most Unusual were swept by Tyler Klug with his Spicy Honey Mango Lime Salsa, featuring B&L Honey’s jalapeño honey. Winners received a special golden chili pepper trophy, a small cash prize, and endless bragging rights.
All the entries were fabulous, and we are so lucky to have so many local food talents willing to share their gifts with us! Other contestants included: Melvin Mayes Medium-Hot Canned Salsa, 605 Walden Crafters (Tanya + Cindy) Fresh is Best Salsa, Alec Brady 10-Minute Salsa, Cheryl Baxa Sassy Salsa and Sassy Pineapple Salsa, Jo Wulf Double Cherry Salsa (ft. her famous ground cherries), Tarell Bauld had two other entries Smoked Salsa and Smoked Carolina Reaper Salsa, and Arturo Barreto Spicy Habanero Salsa. BAFM thanks everyone that entered, encouraged the chefs, and came out in the rain to taste and vote!
