Food Contests
Get out the mixer, spoon and ladle. It’s time for the recipe contests at the New Mexico State Fair.
Think you have what it takes to decorate a cake or cook up something new with Spam? Or maybe you’ve always thought your cherry pie recipe had what it took to get the blue ribbon? There are eleven food contests at the fair in 2010, so get over to the Fairgrounds and bake, cook or decorate your way to a ribbon. Most entries require you bring in your premade food.
One of the best things about some of these contests is the cash prize. Check the list below to see how lucrative entries can be.
Entries for the contests are accepted at the fair in the Home Arts Building between 8:00 a.m. and noon. Judging begins at 1:30 p.m.
Good luck!
Saturday, September 10
Cake Decorating Contest
Give it your best shot! There are plenty of categories, such as special occasion, State Fair theme, or wedding cake, to help you get started coming up with ideas.
Wednesday, September 14
Bread Contests
Take a little yeast, your favorite recipe for oatmeal loaf or dinner rolls, and voila! You might have a winning entry. Or put your favorite cranberry orange muffins in the contest, and get a ribbon prize.
Fleischmann’s Yeast “Bake For The Cure”
This contest challenges bakers to make their best bread in the name of finding a cure for cancer. Bake whatever bread is your specialty, and enter for prizes.
Prizes:
1st Place: $150
2nd Place: $75
3rd Place: $50
Regional Contests
In this contest, winners have a chance to enter for a grand prize of $1,000 for each region. Regional winners advance to grand prize category judging.
Thursday, September 15
Pie Baking Contest
Blueberry, apple, cherry and peach are just a few of the categories in this popular contest. Oh, and if you happen to win Best of Show, you get a purple rosette.
Friday, September 16
Ghirardelli Chocolate Championship
Anyone who loves chocolate can appreciate this event. For 2010, they're promising a secret prize in addition to the ones listed.
Prizes:
1st Place: $150 and Ghiardelli Gift Basket
2nd Place: $50 and Ghiardelli Gift Basket
3rd Place: Ghiardelli Gift Basket
Wednesday, September 21
King Arthur Flour Cake Contest
There are many categories of cakes in this contest, and lots of chances to win a prize.
Best Dark Cake: $50 King Arthur Gift Card and Gold Rosette
Best Light Cake: $50 King Arthur Gift Card and Gold Rosette
Best Other: $50 King Arthur Gift Card and Gold Rosette
Best of Iced Cakes: $50 King Arthur Gift Card and Gold Rosette
Best Pound Cake: $50 King Arthur Gift Card and Gold Rosette
Best Chiffon/Sponge/Angel Food Cake: $50 King Arthur Gift Card and Gold Rosette
Best Un-Iced Cake: $50 King Arthur Gift Card and Gold Rosette
Best Specialty Cake: $50 King Arthur Gift Card and Gold Rosette
Best of Show: $150 King Arthur Gift Card and Purple Rosette
Thursday, September 22
The Great American Spam Championship
Prizes:
Adult Category (ages 18 and up)
1st Place: $150
2nd Place: $50
3rd Place: $25
The national Adult Grand Prize winner will win a trip to the 2012 Waikiki Spam Jam event in Hawaii, a prize valued at $3,000.
Local Spam KidChef Contest
This year, there's a Kid Spam Contest as well, with prizes:
1st Place: $150
2nd Place: $50
3rd Place: $25
National Kid winners get a $2,000 cash prize. Cold. Hard. Cash. Dust off those spatulas and get cooking!
Friday, September 23
Chile Contest
This contest is to promote our state vegetable: the versatile chile pepper. Enter your salsa, your chile and beans, whatever you dish up with this yummy food, and you might win a purple rosette.
Saturday, September 24
Karo Perfect Pie Contest
If you think you have a good pie recipe that uses Karo syrup, this contest is for you. All recipes must contain Karo syrup.
Prizes:
1st Prize: $100
2nd Prize: $50
3rd Prize: $25
