It’s a wrap.
After a monthlong contest, Jim Thornton, 60, of Niskayuna was named the winner of the first Ciccotti Wrap sandwich contest on Saturday, March 29.
The winning sandwich, which features ham, salami, spinach, roasted red peppers, mushrooms, cheese and pesto, will be on the menu of Professor Java’s Coffee Sanctuary on Wolf Road for at least one year.
It was unveiled and sampled by members and employees of the Rudy A. Ciccotti Center Saturday, March 30.
I have tried the sandwich, and it’s delicious, said Lyn Taylor, President of Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Taylor said the sandwich contest was a way to show appreciation for the Ciccotti Center, by putting a sandwich in its name on Professor Java’s menu.
`The Rudy A. Ciccotti Center has really added a new dimension to Albany County and the Capital Region,` she said. `I think this is just a very happy initiative.`
The Ciccotti Center is a privately owned family recreation facility affiliated with the Colonie Youth Center. The contest was sponsored by the Ciccotti Center and the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Thornton said he came up with the idea for his wrap sandwich by combining a few of his favorite ingredients. `And I wanted people to try something that’s healthy,` he said.
Thornton, a member of the Ciccotti Center for one year, said he was surprised when his sandwich won the contest.
`I really thought they would just pull a name out of the hat,` he said, `But they ended up doing a blind taste test.`
According to the owner of Professor Java’s, Frank Figliomeni, the blind taste test was the perfect method to determine the winner of the contest.
`It was a fun thing for the members too,` said Figliomeni.
He also said that the contest was an interesting way to have members compete for a spot on the Professor Java’s menu.
Executive Director Nikki Caruso said this was the contest’s first year, and it was a huge success. The contest had almost 200 participants, ranging in age from 9 year olds to seniors.
The Ciccotti wrap sandwich contest was the brainchild of Caruso and her colleagues.
`My coworkers and I frequent Professor Java’s. We went there so often and would see the menu with other people’s names and said, ‘Well, what about us?’` said Caruso.
Other local names on the Professor Java’s menu include: Lenny’s Tuna, a light tuna sandwich with lettuce, tomato and mustard; Cheryl’s Shocker, which includes turkey, cheese, lettuce, tomato lettuce and hot sauce; Jill’s Burning 3rd Degree Turkey Melt, a medley of turkey, onions, spinach, tomato, hot sauce and cheese; and Ashley’s Artichoke Melt, which holds artichokes, roasted red peppers, tomato, spinach and cheese.
Karla Stone, member services representative for the Ciccotti Center, said the timing for the contest, which took place during all of March, was during a membership referral program where the center was trying to attract new members.
Caruso was surprised at how far younger members had made it in the competition. `We had nine and 14-year olds in the Top 5,` she said. `Next year, we’re thinking about having a contest for just a kid’s menu.`
After the success of this year’s wrap sandwich contest, Caruso said there will definitely be similar future contests to come. Since Thornton said his sandwich is only guaranteed to be on the menu for one year, the Ciccotti Center will have to select a new winner`and a new Ciccotti sandwich`next spring.
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