Tomato Brand Corrals Nation’s Creative Cooks

Tomato brand Dei Fratelli has launched its fifth annual Ripened Recipe contest in celebration of National Tomato Month in October, and to inspire a healthy curiosity among consumers for new ways to enjoy tomatoes. Through Oct. 31, participants are encouraged to submit an original recipe using any Dei Fratelli products; winners will be announced on Nov. 22.

“Each year, the Ripened Recipe contest brings in more and more delicious and inspiring tomato dishes,” said Steve Hirzel, president of Toledo, Ohio-based Hirzel Canning Company & Farms, manufacturer of Dei Fratelli products. “Cooks across the country continue to amaze us with their creativity.”

The contest’s three submission categories include:

• General Category/Traditional Favorites
• Specialty (Kosher, Low-sodium and Gluten-free)
• Crock Pot Innovations

The top ten recipes will be selected based on flavor, appeal and creativity. The winners will receive a prize package, which includes free Dei Fratelli products for a year, their recipe shared on the brand’s website, E-newsletter, Facebook and Twitter pages, along with an exclusive E-recipe card. One grand-prize winner will receive the items listed above, as well as a basket filled with an assortment of kitchen items and a $50 gift card to a Dei Fratelli retailer of their choice.

Participants can enter on the company’s official website, Facebook page, on Pinterest, or via U.S. Mail.

A family-owned and operated company, Hirzel Canning Company & Farms produces canned tomatoes, tomato products and sauerkraut. The company owns extensive greenhouses and farms throughout Northwest Ohio.