If there was something missing from the Cherry Festival, it was a cherry cook-off.
But Washington’s annual four-day celebration is now complete, as the Cherry Cookery Contest
will make its debut at this year’s festival on Saturday, May 30.
“We’ve been talking about it for a couple of years,” said Patty Schlink, chairwoman of the new event, adding that she got the idea from the Morton Pumpkin Festival. “I figured, I eat a lot of cherries and cook a lot of cherries, so I thought this would be a fun new event.”
The contest is sponsored by the Washington Chamber of Commerce and Lori’s Kitchen Store, which opened in August on the Square.
Cooks of all ages are invited to enter their favorite homemade cherry foods, including cakes, pies, cookies, breads, soups or any other creative dish. Each entry must contain a minimum of one-half cup of cherries, which can be fresh, dried, frozen or canned.
“I’m hoping we’ll get more than just dessert,” Schlink said. “I’m sure we’ll see cakes and cookies and that sort of thing, but I’m hoping for main-course meals, too, like meat dishes and other interesting things people can come up with.”
Lori Peifer, who owns Lori’s Kitchen store with her mother, Carol Gonzales, also said she’s hoping to see a variety of entries, though being the first year, she doesn’t have any expectations.
“I have no idea what to expect,” she said. “Maybe we’ll get cherry chop suey or cherry soup or cherry barbecue. I’m hoping we’ll get every shape and size, with a little cherry peeking out.
“I’m not scared of what people might turn in, but then again I’m not a judge.”
Entrants will enter their foods in one of three divisions: adults ages 19 and older, juniors ages 13 to 18 and children ages 12 and younger. There is a limit of two entries per person, and they will be judged based on taste, presentation, appearance, skill and originality, Schlink said.
Three judges will critique each dish. There will be a first, second and third place winner for each age division, as well as an overall grand prize winner. More than $650 in prizes will be awarded, including the grand prize, which is a $150 gift certificate to Lori’s Kitchen Store.
Participants can pre-register online at www.loriskitchenstore.com or the morning of the cook-off. The Web site also includes the official contest rules and a complete prize list.
Entries will be accepted from 1 to 2 p.m. May 30 at Lori’s Kitchen Store, and all the foods will be displayed from 4 to 5 p.m. Winners will be announced at 6:30 p.m. on the CEFCU stage.
All recipes should be original and not published. If possible, food should be displayed on a disposable plate or container.
“I don’t know what kind of response we’ll get,” Schlink said. “But we’re hoping for at least 30.”
Check out the special Cherry Festival insert in this week's Washington Times-Reporter.
