I never saw it coming, not at all, after judging some pretty bad chili competitions over the past decade where the ground beef tasted like something the USDA should have recalled. So imagine my shock when I judged the Paso Robles Rotary Winemakers’ Cook-Off last year, and tasted through an amazing array of gourmet dishes. I fully expected the ubiquitous Santa Maria style tri-tip, blackened chicken, and overdone cheeseburgers. But I wasn’t served anything close to those sad dishes.

What I tasted was amazing: shamelessly doused shrimp tacos by Angela Mitchell, co-owner of Mitchella Vineyard, which won first place by the professional judges. And we loved the fabulous beef Wellington with a mushroom-Port reduction sauce by winemakers Rich Hartenberger and Hal Schmitt at Midnight Cellars, which earned the people’s choice for first place. If you’re a foodie, like me, you’ll love this cook-off.

“I was so excited when I won the first time. I’m hoping to win for the third time this year then I can relax and make hot dogs,” Mitchell laughed. She earned first place with the celebrity judges in 2007 for her mini petite sirloin burgers, her first time entering the cook-off. Before the event, she not only practices, she taste-tests her recipes on her friends and wine club members. Hartenberger and Schmitt had the entire winery crew helping them prepare for it. Hartenberger noted: “I’ve been doing this for nine years and it’s gotten more sophisticated over the years. We’re playing to win again this year with our filet-wrapped bacon.” He’s not telling the secret to their unique creation, yet, so you’ll just have to go there to taste it. 

Last year was my first time judging at this event and I found many of Paso Robles’ best wineries were serving up gourmet food like you would see TV celebrity chef Bobby Flay grilling up on his show, and all of it beautifully prepared. This event is quite competitive as these winemakers and vintners vie to beat their peers. As for the excellent wines, it’s impossible to taste through them all. This event by the Paso Robles Rotary is self-described as Paso Robles wine country’s most popular event.

By the time I finished judging the samples with four other wine and food writers, I could honestly say their ads are correct. I’m thrilled that I was invited back to judge again this year. The difficult part is trying to only take a bite of each so I could make it through 30 different dishes. Nearly every one of them was so tasty, half the time we judges couldn’t resist taking another bite. Although we didn’t have wine paired with each dish (honestly, that would be too much), occasionally winemakers would wisely bring us something good to taste occasionally so we were happy.

Gary Eberle was president of the Rotary Club when he and his best friend Tobin “Toby” James Shumrick started the cook-off. “We were looking for a way to make more money for the scholarship program for Paso Robles High School, which really needed it. This is the Rotary’s biggest fundraiser: 100 percent of the proceeds are deposited in the Rotary Club’s Harlow Ford Scholarship Foundation, which provided $33,000 last year. Our goal is to give $50,000 every year,” Eberle explained. “Toby and I always used to argue who was the better cook. He beat me the first year, I came in second.”

“It was so easy to unite all of these Paso Robles winemakers over a barbecue,” Shumrick laughed. “I can’t imagine anything more fun with all of the good food and wine we serve during this event.”

The 11th Annual Paso Robles Rotary Winemakers’ Cook-Off heats up on Saturday, Aug. 8 from 6 to 9 p.m. at River Oaks Hot Springs, 800 Clubhouse Dr., Paso Robles. Tickets sales are limited and this fabulous tasting always sells out. For tickets and information call 877-686-8564 or buy tickets online at winemakerscookoff.com. Tickets cost $75 per person or for $650 you can reserve a table for eight.

 

You can reach New Times’ Cuisine columnist Kathy Marcks Hardesty at khardesty@newtimesslo.com.