By JESSE GRAHAM
THE Yarra Valley is set to get saucy.
A swathe of sauces will come forth for judging early next month, all aiming to have the best of the bunch, and there’s still time for residents to enter their home recipes.
Yarra Valley Gateway Estate, Belle Vedere, Gladysdale Bakehouse and Cunliffe and Waters are searching for the best tomato sauce, relish, chutney or pasta sauce in the area.
The four businesses have teamed up to run a sauce competition, which is calling on all residents to submit their best tomato-based sauce recipe to be judged by 6 April.
Brett Stirling from Yarra Valley Gateway Estate said the competition came from a deep appreciation of sauces, and numerous stories of secret home-cooked recipes.
“So many people come and buy tomatoe sauces and tell us they use their grandma’s recipe … and it’s amazing just how many stories are behind it,” he said.
“There’s a story behind every sauce.”
The competition has no entry cost, and a judges Caroline Gray (Cunliffe and Waters), Jason Rush (Gladysdale Bakehouse) and Gary Cooper (Belle Vedere) will be scoring each of the submitted sauces.
The public will also get a chance to have their say, with a People’s Choice award being handed out after Judgement Day on Saturday 12 April.
Residents can come down to taste-test the top 10 sauce entries and cast their vote on the day, with the judge’s awards and the People’s Choice Award announced at 5pm.
Mr Stirling said judges will be looking at the flavour, consistency and texture of the sauces, among other criteria.
First prize in the contest is a cooking class with judge Gary Cooper at Bella Vedere, valued at $150, while second prize is a dinner for two at Rustik Restaurant at Gladysdale, valued at $130.
The People’s Choice winner will be awarded a Yarra Valley gourmet food hamper, valued at $100.To enter, drop off 500ml of a tomato-based sauce, relish, chutney or pasta sauce to any of the four participating businesses by 5pm on Sunday 6 April.
Entries must have a name, phone number, email address and product description on the jar, and have to have been made this season.
For more information, visit Yarra Valley Gateway Estate’s Facebook page or call 9739 0568.
