Chop, Dice, Stir and Simmer: Prepare Your Tomato Sauce for War

“This will probably be the only war where the only thing that will get hurt is your ego,” said Leslie Masson, the creator of Peekskill Italian Festival's Tomato Sauce Wars.

Growing up in an Italian family Masson became accustomed to arguments over whose sauce was the best and learned that a good tomato sauce was an important source of deep cultural pride. Decades later, Frank Cimino -Yorktown resident, Peekskill business man and Director of the Peekskill Italian Festival - asked Masson to come up with something original for his festival. Thinking back to her Italian heritage and the pride that her Italian family took in its sauce, the Tomato Sauce War idea came easily.

And by last year’s 82 submissions from around the tri-state area, Masson and Cimino learned that tomato sauce pride is certainly not unique to just Masson’s family. Last year Peekskill resident and city employee Lisa Hintze won the coveted Glass Tomato trophy. Organizers are expecting twice as many submissions for this year’s “war,” which will be held on Sunday, August 14 (the last day of the festival) around 4 p.m.

Festival organizers will be holding a preliminary judging a few days prior to the festival at Ciro’s on South restaurant in Peekskill. The public is invited to the event, for which date and time is yet to be determined, depending on the number of submissions. 

This year, Michael Amante, referred to by Luciano Pavarotti as the 4th tenor, who will be performing a kick-off concert at the Paramount on August 11, will be a judge of the “war.” Amante himself is a successful cook and claims “the best tomato sauce in the world.”

“We didn’t think it would be fair to have someone who once had their own cooking show (which Amante did) compete in our Tomato Sauce Wars, so instead we asked him if he would be one of our celebrity judges,” Cimino said of Amante, who accepted.

Kacey Morabito of WHUD and Lisa LaRocca of News12 will join Amante as Tomato Sauce War judges.

Cimino explained that each year the festival also honors an Italian American celebrity that he and the festival committee have yet to select. The celebrity must have some connection to Italian-American heritage and must have done something in Peekskill within his or her lifetime. Have someone in mind? Tell us your suggestion in the comments.

Many of those with Italian heritage (or an appreciation for cooking rich Italian food) have probably already spent many Sundays simmering their perfected sauces. Now is the time to dress it up for battle and send it to war.

For rules and entry forms visit peekskillfestival.com or visit festival headquarters at HomeQuest Realty, 937 South St., Peekskill for a copy. Submissions will be accepted at Ciro’s on South, 911 South St., Peekskill, on Sunday, 8/7/11 between Noon and 5 p.m. and on Monday, 8/8/11 from 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

Festa Italiana Peekskill will be held on Brown Street, home of the Paramount Center for the Arts from Friday, August 12 through Sunday August 14, and will feature 22 hours of free non-stop entertainment on their outdoor stage. The traditional Italian Street Festival will, of course, also offer all the those wonderful food delicacies that only the Italians can make, plus carnival rides and games, street artists, an authentic Italian Marionette theatre, a Kids Zone and more. The festival benefits the Assumption School in Peekskill and other local charities.

For complete festival details, and Michael Amante concert details, visit the festival website at: www.peekskillfestival.com.