This actually happened this morning. Since it’s fresh in my mind, I wanted to share what happened and what a schmuck I felt like afterwards.
For about 27 or 28 years, I’ve been entering the Culinary Challenge (think Olivia Walton from The Waltons taking a cake to the Jefferson County fair) at my State Fair. For the most part I’ve had some pretty good success as winning ribbons. But there has also been some huge disappointments.
First, let me tell you that if you ever plan to, or ever have entered a county fair or state fair culinary competition, the item that you’re 100% sure is going to be a winner and put you on the map will definitely not win. The item you baked that is burned a little bit here and there and has a huge crack down the center, will be a winner. Trust me…I’ve done this far too long.
Yesterday was Day 1 Judging. I live for this every year and start checking the State Fair website right after the New Year…every year. And I check it daily until lo and behold, there is the rule book and all the options to choose from on what you want to make. I am consumed with this.
There’s a process I go through. First, I print the entire book which covers four different judging days. I read each category, highlight it if it’s something I want to try, and then I go through the book at least two or three more times just in case I missed something. After that it’s an online search for unique recipes or hauling out a box I have of at least five hundred recipes…printed or a magazine page I tore out at the doctor / dentist office.
I don’t just stop there. Once I’ve totally decided on which categories I’m going to enter, and I found the recipes I want to use, and I type up the two required copies of said recipes…I also make up the humongous grocery list…and all of this is done by the end of March.
Are you sitting? The first day of judging isn’t until the 3rd week in July. Do you know how silly I feel sharing this obsession with you? Not to mention I have Bill watching me do this while it’s snowing outside…and he’s laughing. But he knows how important this is to me.
Ok…fast forward to yesterday. The first judging day is always on a Wednesday. Monday and Tuesday I am cooking and / or baking for at least 8 hours each day. This year is kind of a light year for me because I signed up for 16 categories over the course of two judging days when I normally do twenty or more.
The very first thing I took out of the oven on Monday morning was slightly burned. I took a butter knife and tried to scrape it off, but it was a crusty bread, and it wasn’t budging. I always use my first item as a guide on how my ribbon count is going to go that year. So far this year wasn’t looking too good.
Long story short (too late), I entered 9 items yesterday and only won three ribbons. I was in shock. As I said when I started this story, the item you think is going to put you on the map doesn’t…and that held true yesterday. One of the breads I made was a four-grain bread and I’m here to tell you that it was gorgeous. The only person who didn’t get that memo was the judge. I didn’t place. The judge said it was too dense.
Today I was supposed to bake again for Saturday’s judging. I’ve got two days to get seven more things made. I woke up and was so depressed I didn’t want to bake and thought about throwing in the towel. But that’s not who I am.
The first thing I did was text two of my BFFs, told them what happened, and asked them to give me a pep talk. The three of us are on a three-way text every morning. I got my pep talk but also found out that one of my BFFs had a rough night with her adult daughter, her husband has Covid, and she’s exhausted with a sore throat. Then the other BFF shared with us a pretty serious situation going on with her family.
I want to be able to help either of them with anything they need during these difficult times in their lives, but first I have to pull up my big girl panties and stop whining about my bread not winning a ribbon at the fair. No pity party here!
Back to Basics 