Every year after the Chronicle‘s Hot Sauce Contest winners are announced, we receive e-mails and letters from readers who want to know the secret to success or a detailed, written evaluation of their particular entries. Comments like, “My friends say I make the best salsa in the world; how come I didn’t win?” or, “I know the whole thing is political,” are not uncommon. As a preliminary judge, I feel a sense of duty to dispel any myths associated with judging the contest and to clarify the “requirements” for a winning salsa.
First of all, it is important to note the number of entries. Last year we had more than 400 salsas in all categories, which are as follows: Commercial bottlers compete in red, green, special variety, and pepper (Tabasco-like) sauces; individuals and restaurants compete in red, green, and special variety sauces. It would obviously be impossible for the judges to taste past the first 100. That’s why there’s a panel of “preliminary” judges. These 30 or so folks gather around a big communal table and taste through the salsas to weed out the bad ones and narrow down the pool. The selected salsas then go to the panel of celebrity judges, which chooses the winners in all categories.
All salsas are numbered by the organizing staff and sent to the judges’ table. They arrive in unlabeled, generic plastic containers, so it is impossible to tell who made them (only the organizers know the corresponding names and numbers). So no, the judging is not political since nobody knows where the salsas come from. We just know if they taste good or not. In order to avoid palate fatigue and taste-bud burnout, we take breaks and consume copious amounts of vanilla ice cream, which helps cleanse the palate, cool off the mouth, and protect the stomach.
Each sauce must have three unanimous yes or no votes in order to advance to the finals or to be disqualified. That means at least three different people must taste each sauce. This step is very important since we all have different palates and don’t all like the same flavors. Excessive use of cumin, for instance, will get a definite no from me, while other judges may actually enjoy it. The one thing most judges agree on is hatred of the flavor of Liquid Smoke. If that flavor is in your salsa, we will know it, believe me.
Another suggestion would be to avoid the addition of extremely weird ingredients. It is one thing to be creative and adventurous and quite another to have no sense whatsoever of which flavors harmonize with one another. Remember, the judges are supposed to want to eat the stuff. Also, a salsa that looks predigested (from either end of the digestive system) is not likely to fare well with the judges. Avoid using chopped ham, ground meat, hard-boiled egg, shredded cheese, mashed beans, or nuts. If you can’t make it interesting, keep it simple; do not overspice or oversalt.
Most of all, this whole Hot Sauce Festival is supposed to be fun, so don’t take it too seriously. And if you don’t win, don’t take it personally. Keep making that salsa, and enjoy it with your friends who love it. Take it from me: I entered my salsa in the very first Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival and didn’t win. And I know I make the best salsa in the world!
This article appears in August 22 • 2008.
