Awaiting the Taste: How those ‘Best’ dishes are judged

Those of us who attend the Taste of Edmonds each year have seen banners displayed at certain food booths, declaring that their offerings are the Taste’s “best.” So how do those foods get recognized? It all happens at the “Taste Off” on the festival’s first day — this year Friday, Aug. 13.

Based on sampling and votes from local judges, the Taste Off names the best main dish, side dish and dessert to be found among the delectable entries by Taste vendors. These vendors come from across the U.S. and offer dishes that span the gamut of culinary creativity, from apple pie to duck sliders to crab and shrimp chowder.

To judge these palatable platings, a panel of local taste-makers has been assembled, including:
-Heather Bosch, News Talk 97.3 KIRO FM
-Oxy Gene, “Clean Air Defender” for Community Transit.
-Brad Hoare of the Journal Media Group.
-Michael Reagan, Edmonds artist.
-Debbie Bodal, owner of A Chef’s Kitchen cooking school in Edmonds.
-Edmonds City Councilmembers Strom Peterson, Adrienne Fraley-Monillas, D.J.Wilson and Steve Bernheim.

The 28th annual A Taste of Edmonds will be held from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Aug. 13 and 14, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Aug. 15. Activities will take place at Civic Playfield, located at 310 6th Ave. N. in Edmonds. Admission is $3 for teens and adults, free for kids 12 and under. Pets are not permitted at the festival. Free parking and a free shuttle service will be offered from Edmonds-Woodway High School, located at 212th St. S.W. and 76th Ave. W. Shuttles run every 15 minutes each day, starting at 11 a.m. and ending a half hour after the festival closes.

For more information, call the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce at 425-670-1496 or visit www.EdmondsWA.com.

  1. A few years back, my wife and I attended Taste “of Edmonds” with an out of town guest. It was hard not to be embarrassed. We assumed the Taste “of Edmonds” would be a small town festival with local foods from some of the community eateries. What we found was random food vendors that can be found at any festival in Western WA. I still can’t figure out what these “tastes” have to do with Edmonds. It seems odd to judge the offerings of these non-local festival vendors.

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