Tomato Tasting & Sizzlin’ Summer Salsa Contest

Tomato Tasting

Every year we dare you to bring out your best tomatoes and pit them against other gardeners to see if yours are truly the best around. For the tomato tasting, bring in your whole tomatoes to be sliced up and served to our guests. Ballots were tallied at the end and results for the “People’s Choice” of the Top 3 Tomatoes of 2011 are posted here.

Picks for 2011:

• Cherry

  Sun Gold variety - 28 votes out of 72

• Paste

  Viva Italia variety - 50 votes out of 63

• Slicer

  Brandywine(red) variety - 16 votes out of 81

Sizzlin’ Summer Salsa Contest

This is your chance to flex your muscles in the kitchen. Use your homegrown tomatoes and peppers to craft a salsa that will bring tears to your eyes. There are 3 categories to submit to:

• Wimpy or Mild & Mannerly (very mild)
• Now You’re Talkin’! (medium)
• Hot ChaCha!!! (get the fire extinguisher)

Our only stipulation is that your tomatoes and peppers MUST be homegrown. Bring your samples in three 2-ounce containers with lids for the judges and 4 quarts for guests to taste.

2011 Winners:

• Wimpy

  1st place - Joe Reilly (only entrant)
  
  

• Medium

  1st place - Terry Siciliano
  2nd place - Ubaldo Ponce
  3rd place - Jeff Townsend
  

• Hot

  1st place: Mark Siciliano
  2nd place: Ubaldo Ponce
  3rd place: Joe Reilly
  
  

• People's Choice

  Ubaldo Ponce
  
  

This event wouldn’t happen without the efforts of our wonderful volunteers. Thanks to all who help to make our events possible. For more information on how to become a member of the Arboretum, contact us at (657) 278-3407