This year, I decided to try entering my bread in the 2015 county fair. I researched all the rules and regulations, and decided that I would enter my white yeast bread, my wheat bread, and maybe one of my artisans bread. But, 3 days before I needed to start baking my breads I became very sick with the worst summer head cold. I hadn't had a summer cold in over 5 years, and this one really knocked me out. Finally the day before entry day, I finally was able to make 1 turn of dough for my wheat bread, (enough for 2 loafs of bread). I chose what I though would be my best chance for at least 2nd place. The next day, I filled out all the paperwork, placed my bread on the required plating, and drove over to the fair grounds and entered my bread, I was so nervous and my hands were shaking. That evening Dave and I cut into the second loaf of bread and each had a slice for dinner. It was so delicious, and inside was perfect, (no holes). I was very proud of the the 2nd loaf, and hoped the loaf I turned in was just as nice. That's the thing about bread making, you never know what lays inside, until you cut off the end piece and then remove that first slice. Does it have a large hole? Did I get all the carbon dioxide out when I rolled my loaf for the baking pan? And when you take a bite - will it have that wonderful slight nutty flavor from the wheat, that all good homemade bread should have? All part of the criteria that judges are looking for, besides the exterior color, shape, and size of the loaf. And the worse part was, I wouldn't know the results for at least 2 more days. The judges all do their work in secrecy, with no outsiders allowed, (not even the fair supervisors). And how do you know what the results are? You have to go the the fair and look for your entry. So three days later, Dave and I drove over to the fair, walked through all the exhibits to find the baked goods, then finally found mine! And what do you know!
There was my bread, on the top of it's own pedestal, with a FIRST PLACE, BLUE RIBBON !! I was stunned.
But then my heart sank when I saw the hole inside the bread. Especially when the loaf we ate at home had no holes. Why didn't I turn in the other loaf? Then Dave reminded me that I still won 1st Place. I looked over some of the other exhibits, and thought quietly to myself, "if I hadn't been so sick, I think I could have won the artisans bread division, (there was NO 1st place, and the 2nd place entry had a burnt top and was kind of sloppy), and I might even have won with my white bread, (it took 2nd place at the STATE FAIR last year). But I was so happy with the blue ribbon hanging off my loaf of wheat bread.
The supervisor saw me hanging over the chain, (used to keep fair goers away from the entries), looking at my entry, so she walked over and asked, "do you have an entry here?". I said "yes, and I won 1st place", (smiling big). She smiled and said, "we're not supposed to do this, but if you want to stand by your entry, I'll take a photo for you". Boy do I !! She then said, if you want, you can flip over the entry tag and read the judges notes. Yes I did, and the notes on the back said, "good taste, well made, crust just a little too brown, but overall a well made loaf of bread".
So I guess, the judge also liked my bread as much as my family and friends. Dave laughed and said, now you can hang that ribbon up with all the other fair ribbons you've won. Then the BIG surprise came when I went back after the fair to pick up my ribbon...
I found out that I had also won the "Mayor's Choice Home Arts" award, out of ALL then entries in all of the Home Arts entries, (i.e.: cross stitching, baking, canning, etc.). When they told me, I started to cry. They said the mayor turned to the supervisor and said, "what do you think?". She said that she replied, "What do you think, Mr. Mayor?". And he said, "this is just like my mom's bread!, It get's my ribbon." AND, asked the fair supervisor for my information, and said they are going to contact me to do an interview about my bread baking!. I was so overcome with emotion.
And to think, I almost didn't enter the bread, because I wasn't feeling well. I'm so glad I at least had one entry this year.
