The Fourth Annual Salsa & Tequila Challenge is much more than sauces and shots: It is an opportunity to celebrate Hispanic heritage and culinary arts, and sample contemporary tequila cocktails while supporting the arts and helping feed the hungry.
“Tucson has had an emergence of a strong foodie scene, and there are so many great restaurants that have opened all around town,” said Liz Stern, Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance development director. “This event is a neat opportunity to showcase the depth and breadth of these establishments and really grab the attention of Tucsonans.
“We are very appreciative and want to recognize these restaurants that are willing to come out and support causes such as the Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance and the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona.”
The culinary competition features unique salsa recipes prepared by chefs and restaurants as well as students from Pima Community College and the Caridad Community Kitchen. It has grown to include tasting menus from almost 40 restaurants, bakeries, caterers and eateries.
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Additionally, mixologists will be on hand to create tequila-based cocktails, and more than a dozen distributors will feature tastings of beer, tequila and other spirits as well as information on local distilleries.
“There are so many unique recipes that involve salsa and tequila at this event, and traditional and nontraditional Mexican restaurants participate and really step out of their comfort zones to try something new and different,” Stern said. “It is a unique, eclectic opportunity for the community to come out and enjoy themselves.”
Attendees can weigh in on the salsa and tequila cocktail competitions in the People’s Choice Awards; judges will vote on best traditional, hot, mild and alternative salsas along with the most creative cocktails.
One tequila maker will also receive the Gold Star Award.
“Over the years, the awards have become a very coveted accolade for chefs, restaurants and mixologists,” Stern said.
In addition to food and libations, attendees can enjoy live entertainment by Ballet Folklórico Municipal Nogales and a fusion of ska, cumbia and rumba-salsa by Santa Pachita.
The Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will stage Viva Piñata!, a raffle of decorative piñatas to support scholarships benefiting Hispanic students seeking higher education.
The primary beneficiaries — the arts alliance’s Creative Arts Therapy for Veterans Program and the Community Food Bank — hope the event will net at least $20,000, Stern said.
The funds will be welcomed with enthusiasm, particularly during the summer, said Jack Parris, Community Food Bank public relations manager.
“We always say that people think about feeding the hungry during the holidays; we receive the majority of our donations from October through December. Our donations drop off dramatically from January through the summer,” he said.
While donations have dropped, demand continues to rise. The food bank distributes an average of 32,000 boxes of food each month, and requests for assistance are up 6 percent over last year.
Parris said many people like to donate food to help meet the need, and while it is always appreciated, monetary donations can actually stretch further: for every $1 donated to the food bank, it distributes four meals.
“We make a dollar go a long way,” Parris said. “Another thing we are proud of is that for every $1 raised, 97 cents goes to our programs; only 3 cents goes to overhead.”
Parris said the food bank is also gratified that monetary contributions will benefit Child Nutrition Programs: the After School Snack Program, which aids more than 600 participants at 11 sites throughout Tucson (including five Boys and Girls Clubs) and the BackPack Program, which provides healthy food over the weekend for more than 2,000 students who receive free and reduced-price lunch at 24 school sites.
About 40 percent of food bank clients are children.
“Tucson has the sixth-highest poverty rate for large metropolitan areas in the United States, based on U.S. Census Bureau statistics. That being the case, in Southern Arizona, 1 in 4 children live at or below the federal poverty guideline,” Parris said.
“Hunger can affect a child’s health and growth and their ability to perform in school, and we are really emphasizing the need for children to have sufficient meals. Funds raised at the Salsa & Tequila Challenge will help with that.”
Donations will also support the arts alliance’s Creative Arts Therapy for Veterans Program, a partnership with the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System. The program, which has provided support to about 400 disabled veterans since its inception last year, seeks to provide healing and quality-of-life support through arts and crafts, creative writing, music, drawing and painting.
“For veterans, these classes increase efficacies and confidence and their ability to connect and communicate with others in a creative capacity, which helps with overall well-being mentally, emotionally and physically,” Stern said.
“Anytime that people can come out and support a great cause while enjoying themselves at an event like the Salsa & Tequila Challenge, it is a win-win situation for everyone.”
