For receiving the honor of Chef's Choice Salsa senior Stephanie Moran is recognized by Plymouth High School. (From left to right: Principal Jim Condon, Stephanie Moran, and Mrs. Jyll McNeil) Photo by: Brandon Heims
By Guadalupe Ortiz
Tomatoes, onions, cilantro, garlic, and a whole lot of chiles blended together made an award winning salsa. For senior Stephanie Moran, a simple salsa recipe won her a lot more than just a spicy snack.
“Great Bowls of Salsa Competition” was hosted at John Glenn High School during the Falloween Festival in Walkerton. Not only was this Moran’s first competition, but this was also her first win. Moran said, “Mrs. McNeil told me that she had received papers for a salsa competition and she asked me if I wanted to do it and I said yes. I entered just because I like to cook and it was a way to get involved in different things.”
Not only was she presented with the 2012 Falloween Judges Choice Salsa Competition plaque from PHS principal, Mr. Jim Condon, she also won a $3,000 scholarship to the Chef’s Academy in Indianapolis, 3 pounds of bratwursts, $75 in cash, a golf outing for four at Swan Lake Golf Academy that has a value of about $300, and a chance to be on a cooking show in Bremen with Chef Randy Z. The prizes, and the fame of being able to be on a TV show, was not the best part about winning the competition to Moran.
Senior, Stephanie Moran's love of cooking helped her receive recognition. Photo by: Brandon Heims
She said, “Winning is a great feeling but people saying your salsa is the best salsa that was even better. I was very excited, I did not believe that I had won judge’s choice. I was not expecting that Mr. Condon would give me the plaque and I was not even dressed for the occasion and got a lot of pictures taken.”
Moran said that the salsa recipe was from her mom’s family. She also said that she did not come up with a name for the creation, so the man in charge named it ‘Guadalajara Salsa.’ Moran said, “It is not a very spicy salsa but it has a lot of flavors. It’s soft at first and then you get that kick from the peppers.”