Results! Third Annual Amateur Cookie Competition
PASTRY CHICAGO’S THIRD ANNUAL AMATEUR COOKIE COMPETITION
Food Enthusiasts Showcased Their Best Raisin Cookie Recipes at Whole Foods, Northbrook
Chicago, Illinois (May 14, 2010) – Twenty-five amateur bakers from across the Chicaoland area competed on May 1st at Whole Foods Market in Northbrook, Illinois in Pastry Chicago’s Third Annual Amateur Cookie Competition. Their recipes included California brand raisins, flour from King Arthur, Plugrá European-Style butter, and Nielsen-Massey vanilla products, all of which can be found at Whole Foods. Pastry Chicago, a volunteer organization which brings culinary schools, businesses, community organizations, and members of the Chicago community together, saw another fun and successful event.
Competitors showcased their best raisin cookie recipes for this year’s titles and prizes donated by KitchenAid, Dansko, and King Arthur Flour, the sponsors of the event. Judges who volunteered their time included Chefs Dana Kruger of Sweety Pies in Skokie; Jenny Lewis, Culinary Instructor at Lexington College; Linda Rosner, Culinary Instructor at Lexington College; Jennifer Templeton of Julius Meinl; and Will Contreras of Whole Foods.
While the judges examined and tasted each contestant’s cookie that represented various recipes incorporating raisins, all of the guests observed a demonstration by Chef Kristen Ryan, an instructor at The French Pastry School. Chef Ryan demonstrated some classic French “cookie” recipes including a Chocolate Rum Raisin Bouchon and a Lemon Rose Macaron.
Five contestants were recognized based on their cookies’ taste, texture, and decoration. Fifth place went to Marguerite Dawson for her Spoon Butter Cookies with Apricot Raisin Jam; Lisa Edwards and her Oatmeal Raisin Coconut Cookies won fourth place; third place went to Eric Kirsher for his Spraisin Cookies (a variation of a Spritz cookie with raisins and almonds); Nima Namdar won second place with his Chocolate Raisin Sandwich; and first place went to Beth Gross and her Cucidatis, an Italian cookie with a raisin and fig filling topped with crystallized orange peel, raisins and walnuts.
“It’s really interesting to see what bakers can do when given a limitation – like raisins having to be an ingredient,” said Franco Pacini, Director of Pastry Chicago, “and how creative our competitors are within that limitation. They did a great job.”
Pastry Chicago will host an Ice Cream Social at Esperanza Community Services on July 17th, and the Third Annual Amateur Pie Competition on September 18th at Whole Foods Market, South Loop. More details will soon be available at www.pastrychicago.org.
Pastry Chicago is a group of passionate people who love and enjoy all forms of pastries. Pastry Chicago is made up of professional pastry chefs, students of the art of pastry and people who enjoy eating and the visual art of pastry. The goal of our group is to experience the Art of Pastry in all its glory at educational fun events across the city of Chicago and at the same time promote the fantastic talents of all the Artisans who work at the craft of producing beautiful delicious pastries.
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For more information on Pastry Chicago, please visit www.pastrychicago.org, or contact
Anne Kauffmann
The French Pastry School
312.726.2419 ext.207
akauffmann@frenchpastryschool.com
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Whole Foods Market - Northbrook
840 Willow Road
Northbrook, IL 60062
This competition is now full, but spectators are welcome!
Please join us and RSVP at 312.726.2419 ext.208 or info@pastrychicago.org
| 1:00 – 1:30 pm | Contestants’ time to submit entries (no working on the premises is allowed) |
| 1:30 pm | Educational Seminar/Demonstration Judging begins |
| 3:00 pm | Social Networking |
| 4:00 pm | Winners will be announced |
Join us on May 1, 2010 for our Third Annual Amateur Cookie Contest hosted by Whole Foods. If you have a great cookie recipe, try your hand at this exciting competition. This year's theme is “California Raisins ”. For our Educational Seminar during our judging period of our Cookie Competition, we are proud to have a presentation by The French Pastry School.
All are welcome to attend the demonstration, RSVP to info@pastrychicago.org. The first 25 entries will be accepted for the competition.
Entries to the competition are currently being accepted, details below.
Rules and Regulations:
- Entries must be submitted by April 23, 2010.
- Only the first 25 entries will be accepted for the competition.
- Contestants must submit 10 cookies (5 for judging, 5 for display). All cookies are submitted at the time of registration, cookies will be displayed for you on a white plate and presented to the judges for tasting.
- Cookie recipes must be submitted with the cookies for tasting (if no recipe is submitted your cookies will not be judged).
- No baking is done on premises.
- All contestants must use the following ingredients, but are not limited to only these ingredients: Nielsen Massey Vanilla, Plugrá European-Style Butter, King Arthur Flour and California Raisins (all of these items can be found at your local Whole Foods store).
- Recipes must be submitted at time of registration.
- Each entry must be solely the work of the entrant.
- Cookies must be at least 1.5” in diameter and no larger than 4” in diameter (cookie must fit within a 4” X 4” square).
- All cookies and decorations must be edible.
- Pastry Chicago and Whole Foods are not responsible for any items left behind at the end of the event.
- Registration form must be received by Lindsay Koriath by the end of day April 23, 2010.
Should you have any questions contact us at:
info@pastrychicago.org.
Please note that this competition is for amateurs only. This excludes professionals working in the pastry industry as well as graduates of pastry or culinary programs.
