Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.
I think I mentioned a few years ago that I had entered a few food items in the Minnesota State Fair. Entered two then and three last year, and last year the pepper relish snuck out a ribbon with a 4th place finish. Which is interesting as it was crap (I really question the competency of the judges in this, but that's a whole different topic). Hadn't made it in years and the vinegar:sugar ratio was too high. Actually dumped the rest out recently since this year's was infinitely better and I needed more jars. But anyway, I turned in some cookies there this morning and did some snooping...this year's pepper relish placed yet again though I don't know where. That category is sort of my baby, though, and I know this year's was really, really good. Anyway, upped it to ten things this year (cookies not pictured) and here they are:
(L to R): Pickles infused with flavors of the world (thai), hot salsa, thimbleberry jam, zucchini relish, cucumber relish, pepper relish, chili sauce, dried fruit (apples), dried vegetable (green beans)
I have no expectations with this but wouldn't turn things in if I didn't know they were really good (aside from last year's pepper relish, that is). Results will be out Thursday, but a few notes on this just to see how close I am with my take:
1. The pickles have no chance. Slices are too big and my experience tells me the judges don't like that. The flavors turned out awesome. Actually used a bit of fish sauce in the brine and it walks you right through all the flavors in the same order every time. Sweet, orange, hot, onion/garlic, ginger and finally about 30 seconds later, the bit of fish sauce. Really does taste like Thai at the end. Sadly, I came up with a better idea last week but it was too late. Supposed to incorporate an ethnic flavor profile into them and a Mediterranean concept popped in my head. Made them yesterday but haven't tried yet. Kalamata, onion, garlic, sun dried tomato, capers, oregano, basil. Sherry vinegar and white wine vinegar instead of white or apple cider as is typical. If they're good perhaps I'll tweak and try them next year.
2. That pepper relish category is my big one, as years ago I could make some stuff that was awesome. Screwed it up last year and it placed anyway with 94/100, but since I already know this year's placed in some capacity, I really wouldn't be shocked if it won since it's so much better than last year's it isn't even funny. Then again, also wouldn't be shocked with fourth again. Last year I was curious and googled the name of the guy who placed one spot of ahead of me, and it was THIS guy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLUvp-UaGcM
I needed motivation and said at the time: "this guy annoys me. I'm taking him down." Might have pulled it off this year.
3. The chili sauce. As a few others did I went with a Thai sauce. The other two are way too thin and all their pepper flakes are floating at the top. That's a complete screwup on par with turning in some jam that runs like water. Just flat out inexcusable. If I finish behind either of those the judges are clueless
4. The salsa and jam categories I entered get a huge amount of entries but I know both I put in were really, really good. Got lucky with the salsa as it was a one-time batch I couldn't replicate if I wanted to considering my source of tomatoes. No expectations at all with either, but at least I know I didn't turn in junk.
5. The dried apples and beans. Meh, noticed last year that hardly anyone enters them so looking for a cheap score. Upshot is that both are pretty tasty despite being painfully easy and simple. Cored and sliced the apples thin, dusted with cinnamon, dried and then added some coarse brown sugar to them and bruleed with a torch. As for the beans, coated with a
very small amount of olive oil and seasoned with some basic Penzey's seasoned salt and a bit of ground New Mexico Chile prior to drying.
All told, I'm expecting the pepper relish whatever it gets and nothing else
. I actually don't care much about winning and the judging is all over the map anyway, so it seems, but I'm anal and am incapable of trying to stop making things better, so it would admittedly be neat to actually someday score a win in something. Would be a bit of nice payback for blasting through vinegar by the gallon jug. Scammed Restaurant Depot membership I love you so...
The pork sausage was very good too.
