Sparta Hot Sauce Nominated For Garden State Culinary Award

SPARTA, NJ — Sparta's own Jersey Barnfire Hot Sauce has been nominated for Outstanding Food Artisan in the The Garden State Culinary Arts Awards.

Barnfire Hot Sauce is known for their variety os sauce flavors and salts, including Strawberry Scorpion, Roasted Peach Habanero, and Murder by Primo.

To be nominated in this category, a food artisan must show "significant talent and skill in their chosen genre" and "set new or consistent standards of achievement and excellence." They must have been working professionally for at least three years.

Here are all of the nominees for Outstanding Food Artisan:

• Bobolink Dairy & Bakehouse, Milford: Nina and Jonathan White, owners
• First Field, Princeton: Theresa Viggiano and Patrick Leger, owners
• Jalma Farms, Ocean View: John and Alma George, owners
• Jersey Barnfire Hot Sauce, Sparta: Austin D’Almeida and John Sauchelli, owners
• Lopes Sausage Co., Newark: Herminio Lopes, owner
• Mart Pretzel Bakery, Cinnaminson: Julia Fraser, owner
• Milk Sugar Love, Jersey City: Emma Taylor, owner
• Modcup Coffee Co, Jersey City: Travas Clinton and Justin Hicks, owners
• Tassot Apiaries, Milford: Jean-Claude and Bea Tassot, owners
• Valley Shepherd Creamery, Long Valley: Eran Wajswol and Debra Van Sickle, owners

The Garden State Culinary Arts Awards are given out by the Garden State Awards Committee, which consist of over 150 independant food writers and critics from around New Jersey. Members will vote in all categories, and the top three will be named as finalists. Winners will be awarded on April 29.

Image: A stock photo of hot sauce, not hot sauce from Jersey Barnfire, via Shutterstock.