Salsa for sampling

As the sun warmed the faces of those gathered at the Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market Saturday, salsa enlivened their tongues with new flavors.

Bloomingfoods Market and Deli, the Farmers’ Market and the City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation collaborated to sponsor the 25th annual Salsa Contest.

Participants brought their raw, cooked or specialty salsas to be tasted by members of the community for free.

Janani Krishnan, who said she attends the tasting every year, said she enjoys the seasonal tomato and soup tastings at the Farmers’ Market, but the salsa tasting hits closer to home.

“My sister is good at making salsa, but she has never participated,” Krishnan said. “She is younger, so she probably thinks she doesn’t have a chance.”

Krishnan said she enjoyed her salsa-tasting experience anyway.

“Each gets better than the last. I love the exotic kinds with mango,” she said. “It’s a great event, and it’s free and open to the community. It’s really fun here.”

Sue Haas traveled from north of Martinsville, Ind., to gather organic vegetables for canned soup, but left with a stomach full of chips and salsa.

“I love salsa,” she said. “I tried all three tents, and I like the Bloomingfoods one best. The mango one was also really good.”

The three categories of salsa, which contained about 20 entries each, were judged by one of three groups of three individuals who had ties to Bloomington and other parts of Monroe County.

While community members sampled the variety of salsas, emcee Steve Krahnke kept the mood light. He provided a mix of details and jokes about the event, complementing a tutorial on how to make salsa and guacamole, which was given by Gregg Rago and Susan Bright, co-owners of Nick’s English Hut.

Bloomington resident Lorca Strand said he visits the Farmers’ Market every weekend and enjoys the special events.

“It’s fun to taste salsa and set your mouth on fire, because that inevitably happens,” Strand said.

Ellen Michel, marketing manager for Bloomingfoods, coordinated with Marcia Veldman of the Farmers’ Market and various volunteers to keep the contest running smoothly.

“It’s always fun,” Michel said. “Steve does a great job as emcee, but it’s like the movie ‘Groundhog Day.’ He says the same things every year. That’s part of the fun for us is that it is the same. The crowd grows every year, and participation is great.”

For the winning salsas, the judges gave compliments like “good heat,” “great texture” or “addictive.”

Each winner received a reusable grocery bag stocked with items provided by various sponsors in the Bloomington community, such as the Chocolate Moose, Equal Exchange and Friends of Art Bookshop.

Accepting the prize package for Luz Lopez, who was the first place specialty salsa winner, were friends Leeanna Vanzant and Tammy Gierke.

“I suggested she compete last year, and she was determined to win this year,” Gierke said.

Lopez placed third in the contest last year.

“Her cooking is a way for her to express gratitude, love and friendship, and that comes out in her salsa,” Gierke said. “It sounds corny, but it is so true.”


Follow reporter Rachel Wisinski on Twitter @RachelWisinski