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Saturday, September 17, 2011

Gold Country Fair Crazy for Cupcakes Competition

No, we didn't win.  Alas.  They say that winning isn't everything, right?  Well, that may be true, but winning sure does feel pretty great, huh?  To put it technically, we didn't "place" BUT we are WINNERS just the same.  Okay, enough already.
Jacqueline's Creations
Mint Julep and Chocolate Stout with Bailey's Frosting
Please note the REALLY COOL frosty-mug motif, replete with sugar handles. 
Yeah, these are my new friends!

Ellen's Creations
White Chocolate Liqueur, Root Beer Float and Raspberry Liqueur
Jacqueline's hubster came home 2 weeks ago with a flyer for a cupcake baking competition at their neighborhood fair, Gold Country Fair in Auburn.  When she told me about it and suggested that it would be a fun way to enter our BIWB creations, in all honesty, I wasn't in the right frame of mind.  I had JUST completed a marathon cupcake-baking frenzy the night before, and I was T-I-R-E-D of cupcakes, baking, cleaning the Kitcheaid bowl (someday...I will have 2 bowls!), doing dishes, yadda, yadda, yadda.    So, I said: give me 24 hours to think this over.

24 hours later: Voila!  We were entering the contest.  Jacqueline would enter her FAB Mint Julep and her Chocolate Stout with Bailey's Frosting.  I was going to enter my Raspberry Liqueur and my non-BIWB Root Beer Float.  We were set.  I was game as long as the contest was on a Sunday: it was.  And, if I could bake everything on Saturday: which I could do.  Check. Check.

By the time Saturday rolled around, I had purchased a new cookbook, Intoxicated Cupcakes.  I was now CRAZY inspired and had decided that I would enter THREE.  WHAT?  That would require for my Saturday (the day of the week that I spend just on "me" time):
1.  Baking 3 kinds before 10am
2.  Getting to the gym so I'd stay sane
3.  Making 3 kinds of frosting, that's 3 kinds with ONE bowl.  Someday...
4.  Filling all 3 kinds of cupcakes with 3 different fillings
5.  Photographing the newest cupcake for this blog : "Everything's Going to Be all White" or White Chocolate Liqueur--I haven't really decided what I'll call it.  I think I'm going to leave it up to our viewers to decide.  Maybe.  :)
6.  Staging the finished products for this blog post

Good thing I don't have a family...I'd never have time for all this! 

Okay, so here are just some shots of the event and our competition.  The winner chose an apple variety.  We learned that county fairs just aren't the place for BIWB-inspired creations.  Next year, yes NEXT YEAR, we'll take on the apple cupcake woman and show them a thing or two!
The Spread: Amazing.

When these walked in, I figured I was done for.  David said they are made with marshmallows, cut and then dusted with sugar.  Okay, so I wasn't so worried after knowing that culinary secret. 

Over-the-top on the make-your-own cupcake wrappers and picks. 
These are of the fair logo. 
Ringer?  I think this was second place.  ARGH. 

I was with David when I first saw these and we both marveled: Pretty Amazing.  Great presentation...However, blue frosting isn't something that I'd be too terribly interested in sampling.  The water effect is key here.  :)

The Judges.  We tried to read their lips as they sampled our cupcakes. 
We were wrong.  It wasn't, "oh, that's fantastic!"  It was more like, "Oh, that's sweet."  Well, at least for mine.  
I won't comment on the guy on the left.  Next year, man.  You betta watch out!

My Dad, Bill.  He picked the winner based on the NAME.  The name is all he needed to pick the winner.  My Dad: Ringer Predictor.  He's our secret weapon for next year's competition.  Him and David. 

A very, very special "Thank You" to the two women who hustled their heinies in the heat to get everyone entered in the contest!  We couldn't have done it without them!!  

P.S. Jacqueline and David toured the fair after Dad and I left.  They ran across the baked goods entries.  I got this photo via an email message sent from her phone...She said we could beat these guys no problem in the fair competition.
Sad thing was that this was an entry by a 4 year old!  Yeah, I think I could beat a 4 year old!  Bring 'em on!!

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3 comments:

  1. LOVE it, Ellen! Would also love to communicate with you! How? Warmest regards, leonora

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  2. LEONORA!!!! As in Leonora Hill???? I'm sending you a FB msg now...Shhhhhh.

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  3. This was a lot of fun. I think our chances would have been better had fully HALF of the panel of judges not bailed - there were supposed to be 6, but as you can see, we had only 3 - they were looking pretty green about halfway through tasting! Mean Mr. Mandarin was a bit much, I must say ;) I loved seeing everyone else's creations, too. There's a lot of creativity in our tiny little gold miner town!

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