The warm weather in Tucson seems to attract crowds to outdoor events and festivals. Last weekend was a prime example. "My Nana's Best Tasting Salsa Challenge" is an Arizona based salsa festival and contest. It was held in Tucson for the first time on Saturday, November 8 at Reid Park. Admission was $5 at the door and you could taste any and all the salsa you want.
Each of the salsa makers make a booth to attract taste testers in hopes that they will donate a dollar to their jar which counts as a vote for their salsa. Mariachi music resonates throughout the park and hundreds of people young and old congregate at the gaudily adorned booths. Did I mention the margaritas? At first I felt like someone was stealing my idea, but then I realized that their Margarita Mix-Off had been an annual event in Tempe for years. Of course I had to work that night so I couldn't partake in the inebriation celebration, but I did try just about every salsa offering out of the nearly 40 options.
It was a tough competition. From mild to "hot", the salsas differed significantly from one another. The "hot" salsas were not really hot at all. I would actually call them medium at best. There was a rumor making its way through the mill about a blueberry habanero salsa in the challenge. After hearing this, I began to investigate. Much like the rumors of Brett Favre joining the Vikings, and to my dismay, this rumor turned out to be just that: a rumor.
But I did find a favorite. A woman by the name of Joy Slagowski who is a reporter for the Daily News in Sun City, made a mango black bean salsa that was INCREDIBLE! I should note that I typically hate mango salsa as I feel there is no room for fruit in salsa (save for tomatoes but we all know that's a farse!) I liked the salsa so much, I tossed a few dollars in her jar and after telling her she deserved a trophy for her concoction, she showed me two that she already won in prior Tempe festivals. I guess I'm not the only one swayed by the mango mix.
The warm weather in Tucson seems to attract crowds to outdoor events and festivals. Last weekend was a prime example. "My Nana's Best Tasting Salsa Challenge" is an Arizona based salsa festival and contest. It was held in Tucson for the first time on Saturday, November 8 at Reid Park. Admission was $5 at the door and you could taste any and all the salsa you want. 
Each of the salsa makers make a booth to attract taste testers in hopes that they will donate a dollar to their jar which counts as a vote for their salsa. Mariachi music resonates throughout the park and hundreds of people young and old congregate at the gaudily adorned booths. Did I mention the margaritas? At first I felt like someone was stealing my idea, but then I realized that their Margarita Mix-Off had been an annual event in Tempe for years. Of course I had to work that night so I couldn't partake in the inebriation celebration, but I did try just about every salsa offering out of the nearly 40 options.
It was a tough competition. From mild to "hot", the salsas differed significantly from one another. The "hot" salsas were not really hot at all. I would actually call them medium at best. There was a rumor making its way through the mill about a blueberry habanero salsa in the challenge. After hearing this, I began to investigate. Much like the rumors of Brett Favre joining the Vikings, and to my dismay, this rumor turned out to be just that: a rumor. 
But I did find a favorite. A woman by the name of Joy Slagowski who is a reporter for the Daily News in Sun City, made a mango black bean salsa that was INCREDIBLE! I should note that I typically hate mango salsa as I feel there is no room for fruit in salsa (save for tomatoes but we all know that's a farse!) I liked the salsa so much, I tossed a few dollars in her jar and after telling her she deserved a trophy for her concoction, she showed me two that she already won in prior Tempe festivals. I guess I'm not the only one swayed by the mango mix.
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