Posted by News Leader, MO on July 26, 2008 at 11:07:17:
Strange cakes tasted in fair competition
Event challenges judges' palates
Ten bakers at the Ozark Empire Fair on Friday set out to prove that chocolate makes everything taste better.
At the fair's opening day, they managed to combine it with foods like spinach, cheese, sauerkraut, yams and spaghetti, all for the fair's first Weird Chocolate Cakes competition.
"This was a challenge," said judge Rita Johnson, before a small crowd that had gathered for the public judging.
"They are all wonderfully unique."
The cakes -- all baked from scratch -- were judged on the uniqueness of their ingredients, appearance and taste.
The $10 top prize went to Springfield resident Beth Bruner for her Nutty-Fruity Mix Up cake. The Weird Chocolate Cakes contest is just one of the 18 food contests at the fair she's entering this year, she said.
"I've had no life; I've just been baking and cooking, baking and cooking," she said.
The winning Mix Up cake includes chocolate and mayonnaise, mint-flavored spaghetti noodles, crushed pineapple and orange rind. Dry spaghetti decorated the top like candles.
Judge Johnson called it probably the most unique cake she'd ever tasted.
"You can taste so many unique flavors in this cake and nothing overpowers the other," she said.
Bruner said co-workers at Missouri State University taste test her creations.
"They thought it was weird, yeah," said Bruner.
Second place went to Jenny Rogers of Willard for her Guaca-Chocolate cake served with tortilla chips. Third place went to Wendy Craighead of Rolla for a chocolate spinach cake.
Judges praised the guacamole cake for its texture and presentation. They said the fresh spinach couldn't be detected in Craighead's.
"I like spinach, and I'm always looking for ways to get my kids to eat their vegetables," said Craighead, the mother of six. "I thought I'd experiment."
She said her children gobbled up the cake before she had a chance to put any icing on it. Only one of her older kids guessed the secret ingredient, but it took a while.
Mark Seaman used yams in his cake.
"I've entered a lot of the cooking contests, usually not the baking ones," he said.
"He makes a killer cheesecake," said wife Gina, who once won a fair contest herself for a recipe using Spam.
Seaman, who in the past has won competitions with recipes using Hidden Valley Ranch dressing or Martha White products, said he'll also be entering a salad contest this year. He enjoys seeing some of the same competitors, tasting their creations and trading secrets.
The food competitions are for people of all ages. Glass cases showcased other winning cakes, cookies and breads. Many are judged privately, so competitors don't know if they've won until they show up and see their creation on display with a ribbon.
Candyce Weatherman, 10, was viewing the sweets when she found her brownies with a first place ribbon -- her first win for baking. She began jumping up and down.
"It took a lot of hard work," she explained. "We put nuts in them, lots of sugar. We had to get unsweet chocolate and butter. ... They are so good, everyone eats them fast.
"And the secret ingredient is lots of love," she added.
Opening day wasn't fun just for people entering the numerous competitions. Nancy Bright, acting general manager, said everything so far had been going well.
"We've been really happy with a steady crowd," she said.
"The rain held off for us. The temperature has been OK; there's been a nice cool breeze. We've had a good day. The concert's filling up, it looks like."
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