Tasting party judges annual holiday cookbook treats
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ROCKPORT -- The tasting party. It's where the real cooks pull out the handwritten recipes they've tweaked to perfection over time.
Then they turn those recipes into long-loved family favorites, pretty them up to look their best, and take them to the "elimination round" of the 69th annual holiday cookbook competition sponsored by the Parkersburg News and Sentinel and the Marietta Times.
This year's tasting party, held Wednesday at the Rockport Church of Christ fellowship hall, saw five finalists each in the categories of Starters, Main Dishes and Desserts.
Each recipe was rated by four judges on presentation, taste, originality and overall appeal.
This year's winners were:
Starters category, first place, Anna McQuaid, Potato Stuffing; second place, Rhonda Milliron, Reuben Dip; and third place, Linda Pearson Dally, Mediterranean Tart with Spinach and Artichokes. The other finalists in the category were Stephanie Parsons, Hot Chocolate; and Janet Atkinson, Watermelon Cucumber Salad.
Parsons said she only made the hot chocolate recipe one day a year, to drink while opening presents on Christmas morning. This year, she had a little trouble when her children discovered she had made it to bring to the cookbook tasting party and she told them, "Nope. None 'til Christmas."
Dally's presentation was in a special tart pan she bought online and now uses for lots of things.
"It's a great crust recipe, and then you can put what you want in the middle." And just go wild with the possibilities? "Yes," she said with a grin. "Go wild. I love to go wild."
McQuaid came with her niece, Jeannette Flowers, who was entered in the Main Dish category. McQuaid presented her contribution on a Christmas tree skirt she cross-stitched years ago and uses every year. Her stuffing came in a dish that read, "Happiness is homemade."
Main Dish category, first place, Sheila Dye, Lobster, Crab and Shrimp Mac and Cheese; second place, Dodge Gaskill, Chicken Saltimbocca; and third place, Jeannette Flowers, French Dip Sandwich. Other finalists in that category were Brenda Rhodes, Chicken A La King; and Jean Wilkinson, One Pan Parmesan Pork Chops and Veggies.
Gaskill, the only male entered in the contest, moved to the area with his family earlier this year. He said there's a good chance he'll enter the contest again next year.
Wilkinson loves a big feature of her entry that many cooks find appealing: "You can do the whole thing in one pan!"
Desserts category, first place, Tammy Morrison, Pumpkin Delight; second place, Vickie Davis, Brownie Bomb Bars; and third place, Anna Dean, Chocolate Peanut Butter Dream Pie. Other finalists were Pamela Shank, Peanut Butter Toffee Cheesecake Brownies; and Debby Carouthers, Ritz Cracker Salted Caramel Icebox Cake.
Morrison and her mother, Dean, were both in the Desserts category, and it was no coincidence they were both there. "She got me started on this when I was 17," Morrison said of the cookbook contest, "and I'm 59 now." Dean says baking is her favorite part of cooking. "I don't have much of a sweet tooth but I really enjoy making things to share, because lots of people like sweets."
Judges this year were Jess Mancini, Kiki Angelos, Amy Phelps and Mrs. Joseph C. Snyder. All have been judges in previous years.
The grand prize winner of the holiday cookbook contest and the entry with the top Presentation rating will be announced in the cookbook publication, available Nov. 15 in both the Parkersburg News and Sentinel and the Marietta Times.