in the Great Garlic Cook-off at 10 a.m. July 25. The winner will
receive $1,000 and a garlic crown.
Eight amateur cooks will compete to prepare the best garlic dish in the Great Garlic Cook-off at 10 a.m. July 25. The winner will receive $1,000 and a garlic crown.
The food will be judged based on originality, taste, texture, presentation and – of course – use of garlic. Dishes will range from main course entrees, such as Trent Sheldon’s short ribs with black bean barbecue sauce and saffron garlic-infused root, to desserts, such as Andrew Barth’s spicy garlic butter cookies with garlic goat cheese and honey.
This year, 700 people from around the world submitted recipes for the competition. Eight finalists and several alternates are picked to attend, but typically some of the finalists cannot attend. This year, all eight finalists will be participating.
Three of the eight cooks have competed in the cook-off before. The returning cooks include: Michael Cohen of Los Angeles, who is preparing a Baja California coconut and garlic sopa; Mary Shivers of Ada, Okla., who is preparing garlic and walnut pork spirals with smoky mocha barbecue sauce; and Boni Passmore of Antelope, who is preparing a garlic herb chicken with cranberry vermouth sauce.
Contestants have two hours to cook their dish, which will be judged by five celebrity judges. The winner of the cook-off receives $1,000, the second place winner receives $750 and the third place winner receives $500.
Cook-off fans who buy a Great Garlic Cookbook will be entered in a drawing to win a 10-piece set from Cephalon. There will also be a drawing for 15 VIP tickets that allow ticket winners to meet cook-off contestants and judges.
The cook-off finals will be streamed live online at www.gilroygarlicfestival.com.
