Baking Contest

Did you ever enter a contest when you were a kid? Maybe a science fair? You know, the baking soda and vinegar volcano that erupted all over the kitchen while your mother was trying to tend to the Hamburger Helper? (Hey, if it’s not an adventure, what’s the point?)

That’s our son David in the photo at about eight years old when we lived in Arizona. (No, mice did not eat his hair. That was a style. You know, ranch casual…) Anyway, before you dismiss his presentation on electromagnetism as boring, think back to a time before Honey Boo Boo when kids actually did things themselves without parents’ egos taking over. And also notice how cleverly he attached batteries and strung wire connecting his hand-written text boxes. (Ha! Parent bragging.)

Speaking of contests, October in New Hampshire means stunning autumn foliage and the Sandwich Fair, which means baking time in my house. The fair baking contest draws my attention as early as August when the King Arthur Flour contest recipe is announced. My first year living full time in Sandwich I entered only the King Arthur contest (Pumpkin Whoopie Pies), but if you give a mouse a cookie…

Above is a gallery of various entries from years past. One year I entered five different divisions, but that was wacky. This year I entered three divisions — King Arthur Flour (blueberry hand pies), cookies (chocolate-dipped pecan shortbread), and cupcakes (triple-chocolate). Just right! But what really got me excited this year was the entry into the King Arthur youth division by my own Cooking Club partner and great niece Elsa Bartlett! (Several Little House recipe posts feature Elsa as well as the “try this” post, Cooking School. Now that Elsa is eight years old and quite accomplished in the kitchen, we call it Cooking Club.)

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The King Arthur Flour youth division recipe this year was Whole-Grain Banana Bread, and though Elsa wasn’t jazzed about the recipe, she was gung ho about the contest! Hmmm… Where did she get that competitive streak? Perhaps her mother?! 🤪

We made the recipe together a couple of weeks prior, and then the day before the fair, Elsa made it entirely herself. I provided the ingredients and did some hands-off cheerleading, but nothing more. She was not thrilled by the requisite overripe bananas, but she got after them anyway with a potato masher. Yes, our little one is growing up! Below are photos of her buttering the bread pan then weighing, measuring, mashing, whisking, and whipping the ingredients into a batter.

Then it was butterflies-in-the-stomach time as we brought our contest entries to the Fruits, Vegetables, and Baked Goods building on the fairgrounds Friday evening. There were forms to be filled out and then the moment of truth when we parted with our baked goods. Very exciting! All of the judging took place from 8:00-10:00pm, and ribbons were affixed to the winning entries.

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We only learned how we did when we saw the displays. How did Elsa and I do? Suffice it to say that Aunt Jane and Elsa’s Cooking Club swept the King Arthur Flour completion this year, and two new showy blue ribbons are hanging in our houses.

Elsa knows how to smile for the camera, but that’s no fake smile — that is wonder and joy. As for me, yep. Wonder and joy 🤗 Who knows what will happen next year. We might win, we might not, we might be disqualified. (Buy me a drink and ask me about the Old-Fashioned Apple Cake fiasco. Very entertaining, so I’m told.) What is for sure is that in the meantime, Elsa and I will have lots of fun in the kitchen, and that’s what it’s all about!