Glassboro, NJ – Winding up a late-but-great Jersey peach season, were the final peach pie contests for amateur bakers in south and north Jersey. Each champion baker received a grand prize of $300 cash from the New Jersey Peach Promotion Council. Ten farmers markets held contests this year, and competition was fierce among entrants.
Three finalists in south Jersey and four in north Jersey submitted pies, to be judged by professional chefs, for the two grand prizes and high praise from expert judges – chefs at Joseph’s in Renault Winery, in Glassboro, and Boulevard Five72, in Kenilworth. Judging was tough, as both chefs admired the appearance and perfectly flaky crust in all pies.
Chef Katrina Guerrier of Joseph’s declared Margate Farmers Market winner Sage and Hallee Adelman’s peach pie the best, citing its splash of bourbon and pinch of cayenne as adding a “little spice to the sweet.” The Adelmans are donating their winning $300 to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey.
Chef Geoff Mockbeer of Boulevard Five72 awarded Sosy Shishmanian, finalist from the Ramsey Farmers Market, his first place, highlighting her pie’s “small- lattice top crust and just-right texture of peaches.”
Pies were judged on:
- Overall appearance, including crust and color; does it appeal to the eye?
- Aroma: Does pie smell good and peachy?
- Consistency: When cut, is crust nice and flaky? Is pie runny or more solid so that it looks good on a plate? Amount of fruit in pie: Is there a good amount, too little?
- Taste: Is it yummy? Too sweet, not sweet enough? Too tart, not tart enough? Are peaches cooked just enough to retain substance or overcooked, mushy? Is crust nice and flaky, with good flavor or more like cardboard?
Finalists and their guests enjoyed American haute cuisine meals, followed by desserts of samplings from all the pies.
“The peach pie contests are good vehicles for raising awareness of and demand for peaches grown in our state,” says Santo John Maccherone, chair of the NJ Peach Promotion Council. “When you taste a Jersey peach pie, you are struck by its strong peach flavor and sweetness, that you only get when peaches are grown in local orchards.”
For further information, go to www.jerseypeahes.com
The New Jersey Peach Promotion Council is a non-profit voluntary organization of growers, shippers, wholesalers and associated industries dedicated to maintaining a viable peach industry in the Garden State, preserving farmers and farmland; and providing the highest quality and best tasting fresh peaches for consumers. New Jersey is the third largest peach producing state in the country, with approximately 80 orchards on 4,700 acres.
Source: The New Jersey Peach Promotion Council
