Posted by johngl
It was the beginning of a beautiful Fall afternoon here in Austin: bright, clear, blue sky and temps in the low to mid 70s. This wasn’t like any other day however. On this day, I was to use my Alcoholian powers only for good. If you are seeking a snark festival, select one of my other posts.
Why?
On this day, I was asked to join a handful of other food lovers and restaurant professionals as a judge for Paella Lovers United’s annual festival. It was a true cornucopia: food and fun were in abundance.
The judging was to begin promptly at two, but I got to the acreage owned by Rebecca and Will Ponder just after noon so I could just wander around and enjoy the sites. It’s an absolutely gorgeous setting with rolling hills, fruit trees, and asses.
I think even the critters were enjoying the aromas wafting through the countryside. Then again, he could have been attempting to get the attention of the females. You know how guys are.
The Paella Lovers United group has taken paella cooking to a whole new level. This year, there were 16 teams registered in two categories: Traditional and “Keepin’ it Weird.” There were over 400 guests; this is a serious competition. It’s also incredibly fun. I expect to see this event on the Food Network at some point. Please visit the PLU for more historical enlightenment.
So, back to paella. If you don’t know what it is, you may wish to study up a bit by reading some of my previous post(s) on the subject. Otherwise you won’t have an appreciation for what goes into it. This just ain’t your mama’s chicken and rice casserole.
 |
 |
 |
 |
Judging was based on numerous factors: timeliness, team spirit, presentation, ingredients, flavor profile, rice: texture and doneness, other ingredients: texture and doneness, and socarrat. Some of these carried heavier weights than others. There were 65 points possible and there were 5 judges scoring. Total points available: 325. There were three winners in each category. Click the pic to find the name of the team, the category and the final overall score.
 |
 |
 |
 |
Note: The quality of the pictures does not necessarily reflect the quality of the food.
As judges, we got a lot of questions related to tasting paella for hours on end, but one in particular came up more frequently: Don’t they all start tasting the same?
Not a chance. In fact, I was really quite surprised by how different extremely similar paellas could taste. The doneness of the rice, the type of rice, the flavor and texture of the proteins all played important roles in the overall flavor profile of each offering.
 |
 |
 |
 |
Another common question was: Aren’t the last up at a disadvantage?
Nope. In fact, the scores were pretty evenly distributed throughout the day. Right out of the gate, we had a wonderful offering in the “weird” category. That score held throughout the day and was only surpassed very late in the day — by a mere three points. I still think it should have won.
In sum, I suppose that a little over five hours of tasting could have an affect on you, but fear not, we were all seasoned professionals. Certainly for the majority of men in the group, our waistlines clearly indicate that we aren’t food averse.
 |
 |
 |
 |
The judges table wasn’t all fun & games. At one point, a middle-aged woman approached the table with a rather stern look upon her face. She asked, point blank: “What’s it take to become a judge?” That was immediately followed by an accusatory: “Do you just have to be friends with someone? What are your qualifications?”
We judges looked at one another; surprise was apparent.
Lead judge, Emmett Fox, opened with “I own two restaurants in town: Asti and Fino,” which seemed to appease her somewhat. We went around the table: foodie and musician who’s traveled Spain, foodie and wine guy, a cook who has made over 300 paellas this year, another restaurant owner (alternate judge), a native Spanish person from the Velencian Province, and a food blogger.
I am the native Spanish woman.
After a few “well, that was weird” type comments, someone said something to the effect of “was she from Immigration?” to which we all laughed hysterically. I think we did a little “ching ching” with our wine glasses and got back to judging.
Below are pictures of some of the judges. You should be nice to them. Please don’t hunt them down because you got a score you didn’t particularly enjoy.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
After all of that eating and judging, it was time to present the awards!
Competition in the traditional category was pretty stiff with 11 entries and scores ranging from 192 – 288.5.
Third Place (276 points): Pirates del Sabor
Second Place (277.5 points): Team Duffy
First Place (288.5 points): Los Chirinquitos
There were only five entrants in the “Keepin’ it Weird” category with scores ranging from 212.5 – 262.5.
Third Place (253.5 points): Hunt’em Up
Second Place (264.5 points): Little Paella on the Prairie
First Place (267.5 points): Team Jambalaya
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention all the other things going on at this event. Excellent live music, a tapas bar, non-competitors making some outstanding paellas, and lots and lots of fun that appealed to both the young and not so young.
 |
 |
I’d like to offer my sincere thanks to the hosts, Will and Rebecca Ponder, owners of the PonderAssa Farm, for sharing their lovely homestead with about 500 of their closest friends. It’s a truly magnificent place to have a party.
I would also be remiss if I didn’t at least mention Kelty Christman, a veritable whirlwind, who started this whole thing back in 2003. She was all over the place, seemingly at the same time.
And finally, to the rest of the folks at PLU, volunteers, fire builders, musicians, contestants, and party goers, I thank you for making this such a memorable event!
I don’t really have anything else to say, but I like the colors in this shot
The best things in life should be shared!
Tags: paella
