Hundreds of apple lovers from across the United States and Canada entered the SweeTango “Juicy Details” writing contest, trying to craft the perfect description of this superior apple.
An entry from a writer in Minneapolis, Minn., rose to the top. Chef Art Smith, who judged the contest, picked an ode to SweeTango by Reuven Perlman as the grand prize winner. Perlman wins $5,000 and a box of SweeTango apples. His winning description also will appear in stores during next year’s SweeTango season.
Perlman took 43 words to portray the sensation of biting into a SweeTango apple. He said he fashioned his description in a burst of inspiration in a single evening, then honed his entry the following morning.
Here’s the winning entry:
“SweeTango isn’t the apple you know, it’s the one you’ve always wanted. In the sweet snap of the first bite, the juicy-crisp swell of autumnal flavor redefines what an apple should be. The taste is simple and symphonic. SweeTango is the apple, perfected.”
The Juicy Details contest challenged SweeTango fans to capture the experience of enjoying their favorite apple in 50 words or fewer. More than 600 apple lovers gave it a shot.
Chef Art Smith — a restaurateur, author, philanthropist, activist and reality show contestant – pored through the entries, looking for the one that captured SweeTango’s distinct flavor and superior eating experience.
Next Big Thing, a cooperative of orchards that grows and markets SweeTango, hosted the contest as a way to give apple lovers an opportunity to share their love for SweeTango. “Our goal with the Juicy Details contest was to challenge our fans to put words to the superior apple-eating experience that SweeTango provides,” said Tim Bryne, president of Next Big Thing, A Growers Cooperative. “SweeTango fans rose to the challenge. It was exciting to read so many great entries.”
Three runners-up in the Juicy Details contest will receive a 12-pack of SweeTango apples. The runner-up prize winners are:
Monica Bowe, Ohio
“Wishing you could have your cake and eat it, too? A SweetTango apple is so deliciously sweet and wonderfully crisp that you’ll almost forget that it’s good for you. Eating healthy just got easier.”
Stephanie Lamb, Arizona
“Teeth pierce through the crisp skin, emitting juicy drops quite unlike any a tongue has previously encountered. There’s a familiar tartness, followed up by the most delectable tangy sweetness one could ever imagine. Like healthy candy. Firm flesh makes a satisfying crunch, then seemingly dissolves into a smooth, buttery flesh.”
Chris Connolly, Ontario
“This is the flavor of children running and playing in the apple orchard, kicking through leaves and laughing with arms outstretched. It’s back packs and lunch bags being opened with anticipation of a sweet and tangy reward grown in natures perfect package. It is… happiness.”
SweeTango, the most celebrated apple variety in years, has won over sophisticated foodies and casual fans alike. SweeTango is crisp and juicy with a smooth texture. The flavor is rich and vibrant. Sweet notes framed by bright acidity gratify with every crisp bite.
Introduced in limited quantities in 2009, SweeTango is a cross between the Honeycrisp and Zestar! varieties. SweeTango, an early season variety, is available in stores nationwide this fall. The apple’s flavor is nurtured by the finest apple growers in the world. Featured in the 2011 food issue of The New Yorker magazine, SweeTango was developed by expert apple breeders and is grown by committed family-run orchards.