FAIR TO NAME CHAMPION COOK

What is a county fair without cakes and pies and jams and jellies?
And the braggin' rights to go with them?

At the Williamson County Fair (sponsored by Tractor Supply Company), any citizen aged 12 and over, can try for the top prizes in the culinary arts competitions. They do this by baking their best cakes, pies, cookies, or breads -- or stirring up tempting candies and canned goods and entering them in one of the classes.

With the exception of the display class in the cakes, cookies, candies and canning competitions, foods will not be kept at the display site after the contest ends. The display classes - Decorated Cakes, Grandma's Cookie Jar, Gifts of the Season, and Gift Baskets from Home -- are designed to encourage creativity and will be exhibited daily during the Fair. The awards in these categories will be gift baskets with a variety of nice prizes.

As an example, Martha White is sponsoring "Grandma's Cookie Jar" and they will have baskets for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places. Last year, the baskets contained a variety of their products, an iron skillet, and other cooking utensils appropriately scaled for the winning place (see attached picture). Incidentally, this contest was one of our most popular events - perhaps because it was judged by 10-year-olds. Again this year, children will be the judges for this contest.

We have scheduled two days -- Friday, August 3 and Wednesday, August 9 -- with more contests per day. On Friday the 3rd, the competitions will include Canned Goods and the Gift Baskets from Home; Cookies and Grandma's Cookie Jar; Cakes and Decorated Cakes. On Wednesday the 8th, Breads, Pies, and Kids in the Kitchen will be held. 

Braggin' rights are determined at the end of the Fair when the Williamson County Champion Cook is named. Points are given to each participating entry. So the more entries, the more points. Placing in the contests adds more points. The cook with the highest number of points is determined to be the Champion Cook. Any food not taken away at the end of its contest is sold in a silent auction bake sale. The contestants who have the highest number of points will divide the money from the bake sale.

SMALL FRY, ages 8 through 11, can enter Kids in the Kitchen sponsored by Pampered Chef. This competition offers two classes -- Sweets and Non-sweets. Parents can assist, but the child must be able to answer judges' questions about the preparation.

Pre-registration is encouraged but not required. Registration and receiving entries will begin at 7 a.m. and end at 2 p.m. on the days of the contest. Judging begins at 2 p.m. Announcement of winners, display and silent auctions start at 4 p.m. The Williamson County Champion Cook is announced after all contests have been concluded on Wednesday, August 8.