Harvest Fair Names Winners of 2016 Professional Food Competition

SONOMA COUNTY, CA –News submitted from the Sonoma County Harvest Fair coming soon to the Sonoma County Event Center at the Fairgrounds. Photo: Oliver's Market, Santa Rosa, Gold-winning "Great Vintage Steam Pumpkin" cake:

Ever wonder what it would be like if you had one room full of foods from Sonoma County’s top chefs and culinary masterminds? The judgesof the Sonoma County Harvest Fair’s 2016 Professional Food Competition could tell you.

For two weeks, these industry experts sampled more than 305 entries in nine categories, including Appetizers/Hors D'oeuvres; Breads; Cakes & Pastries; Dairy Products including ice cream, butter and cheese; Individual Desserts; Delicatessen & Sauces; Olive Oil; Vinegar; and Coffee Roasting.

The Sonoma County Harvest Fair is proud to announce the winners of the 2016 Professional Food Competition.

Oliver’s Market, Peloton Catering, and Covet Artisan Bakery took top honors, each winning at least six Double Gold awards and the prestigious title of Sweepstakes Exhibitor. Overall, the judges were impressed, once again, with the abundant and wide-ranging talent of Sonoma County’s food artisans, handing out the highest possible awards to multiple entries in many categories.

Here are some highlights of the blind tasting results from this year’s Professional Food Competition:

Appetizers

Peloton Catering of Healdsburg took the Sweepstakes Award for Appetizers, winning multiple top awards including Best of Show Appetizer for its Heirloom Tomato Bisque, Best Use of Poultry for its Sonoma Foie Gras “Candy”, Best Use of Sonoma County Wine for its Braised Lamb Baked Orecchiette, and Best Use of Vegetable/Fruit for its Compressed Watermelon.

Oliver's Market of Santa Rosa, meantime, won Best Use of Beef for its Korean Street Tacos, and Best Use of Lamb for its Sonoma Lamb Kabobs with Salsa Verde. Out to Lunch Catering of Petaluma won Best Use of Cheese for its Sesame Coated Goat Cheese Ball, and Best Use of Pork for its Mini Pulled Pork Tamales. Bear Republic Brewing Company of Healdsburg won Best Use of Seafood for its Calamari Frito Misto.

Bread

Covet Artisan Bakery of Cotati is the new winner for Sweepstakes Exhibitor in the Bread category this year. Best of Show French Bread went to Costeaux French Bakery in Healdsburg for their EPI. Meanwhile, Village Bakery of Sebastopol took home Best of Show Specialty Bread for their Seeded Sour Dough Batard Bread.

Cake & Pastry

Once again Oliver’s Market of Santa Rosa blew judges away, claiming the Sweepstakes Cakes/Pastries Exhibitor award, and Best of Show Decorated Cake for its Great Vintage Steam Pumpkin. Village Bakery won Best of Show Cake/Pastry for their Princess Cake.

Dairy Products

Top honors for Dairy went to Redwood Hill Farm and Creamery of Sebastopol as they took Best of Show Cheese Product for their Goat Milk Terra Cheese, Best of Show Other Dairy Product for Green Valley Organics Lactose-Free Cow Milk Butter, and a Double Gold for their Goat Milk Feta.

Judges also awarded several Double Gold awards. Dave’s NitroKarma Ice Cream of Santa Rosa received Double Golds for its Madagascar Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Espresso Ice Cream. Straus Family Creamery of Petaluma also earned a Double Gold for their Lemon Gingersnap Organic Ice Cream.

Last but certainly not least, Petaluma Creamery won Double Gold for its Petaluma Gold White Cheddar.

Delicatessen & Sauces

Bear Republic Brewing Company earned Best of Show Delicatessen for their Brewben Sandwich. They also took Double Gold for their Port Burger.

Best of Show Sauce/Topping went to Sonoma Cake Creations in Santa Rosa for its Zinfandel Dark Cherry Sauce. Other Double Gold awards went to Mi Chatita Market and Taqueria in Rohnert Park for its Carnitas Sandwich and also for its Red Salsa.

Oliver’s Market earned a Double Gold for their Thai Style Hearts of Palm Salad. Persona Wood Fired Pizzeria of Santa Rosa took Double Golds for its Artisan Cheese Pizza, Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette, and Spicy BBQ Sauce.

Golden State Pickle Works, LLC of Sonoma received Double Gold for their Allium Mayonnaise. F. A. Nino’s of Petaluma earned Double Gold for its Picoso Hot Sauce. A Double Gold was also awarded to Baci Artisan Chocolatier in Windsor for their Salted Créme Caramel Sauce.

Finally, Berkmans Spices of Santa Rosa walked away with three Double Golds for their Honey Chipotle, Mexican Riviera, and Sonoma Sunshine spice blends.

Individual Desserts

Sweepstakes Dessert Exhibitor went to Oliver’s Market who also earned Best Individual Dessert for their Breton Sable with Pomegranate. Bert’s Desserts of Petaluma was awarded Best Candy and Best of Show Dessert for its Peanut Butter Bar. Best Use of Local Products went to Bear Republic Brewing Company for their Big Bear Gelato Sandwich. Meanwhile Out to Lunch Catering earned Best Cookie for its Blueberry Crumble Bar.

Olive Oil

The Olive Press of Sonoma took Best of Show Olive Oil for their Sevillano. They also earned Double Golds for their California Grown Jalapeno Flavored Olive Oil and their California Grown Picual and Arbeguina.

Vinegars

Best of Show Vinegar went to B.R. Cohn Olive Oil Company in Glen Ellen for its Raspberry Champagne Vinegar. A Double Gold also went to Kozlowski Farms of Forestville for their Fig & Balsamic Vinegar.

Coffee

New this year, the Sonoma County Harvest Fair Pro Foods Competition added a new category for Locally Roasted Coffee. Best of Show Coffee went to Acre Coffee of Petaluma for their Ethiopia Gersi Kebele.

The Sonoma County Harvest Fair

The Grand Tasting at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair offers guests a chance to savor this innovative cuisine from the Professional Food Competition, including tastes from participants in the new coffee category and pair it with some of the area’s award winning wines, as well as craft beers and ciders.

Tickets for the Grand Tasting Pavilion are $55 or two for $100 through September 29. Tickets are available online, at the Box Office located at 1350 Bennett Valley Road in Santa Rosa, or at the door the day of the event.

The Harvest Fair is Friday, September 30 from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm (with the Tasting Pavilion open 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm) and Saturday and Sunday October 1 and 2 from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm (with the Tasting Pavilion open 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm). For more information, visit HarvestFair.org or call (707) 545-4200.

For a complete list of winners visit HarvestFair.org/winners/food

For a complete list of judges visit HarvestFair.org/content/professional-food-competition

Also see:

• Jackson Family Wines Honored For Leading The Way In Sustainable Winemaking
• The Olive Press Takes 'Best of Show' Olive Oil Award
• Buck Sangiacomo Honored For Lifetime Contribution To Sonoma Co. Agriculture At Harvest Fair
• Third-Generation Winegrape Grower Named Harvest Fair's 2016 Outstanding Young Farmer
• Robert Young Family Honored For Lifetime Contribution To Wine Industry
• Redwood Empire Vineyard Management Named 'Outstanding Sustainable Farmer'
• Harvest Fair Names '2016 Outstanding Young Person in Agribusiness'
• Russian River Brewing Co. Receives Harvest Fair Award for 'Excellence in the Craft Beer Industry'
• Harvest Fair Names '2016 Friend of Sonoma County Agriculture'
• Singing Frogs Farm Takes 'Excellence In Local Food Production' Honor From Sonoma Co. Harvest Fair
• Mark Your Calendars For Upcoming Sonoma County Harvest Fair: Tickets On Sale

--Image courtesy of Sonoma Co. Harvest Fair