Finally got the courage to submit some of my pickles (and one jam) to
the Sourthern New Mexico State Fair in Las Cruces; they let us in
because our Texas county is so close and we don't have a fair of our
own. Canned goods are judged by appearance only. After seeing that I was
the only one who put processing procedure & time on the lables, I can
see why. Here's the turnout: 2 1sts, 3 2ds, 2 4ths, a 5th (a prize not
a bottle ), and one honorable mention. Thanks Barb and the rest
for inspiration, recipes and encouragement. Thanks to God & farmers for
the produce.
Edrena
1 jam: Second - Apricot Squared Jam (apricot w/apricot brandy)
8 pickles
1st/Blue - Red Wine Pickled Beets, no mention of the pretty star shapes
1st/Blue - Pickled Okra, judge liked the bright red chile pepper
2nd - Sweet Cuke Relish, ditto with red bell pepper but not green enuf
2nd - Madras Pickled Eggplant, some shredding of the pieces.
4th - Brandied Pears - uneven packing - they got me on that one.
4th - Pretty Pickled Peppers - uneven distribution of different colored
peppers. Picky, picky, picky
5th - Mixed Sweet Pickle [with caulilflower] - she like the color
distribution here but "could have been packed tighter". And squashed the
cauliflower, too. Next year I'll enter this one in a bigger jar for a
bigger impact. Really beautiful pickles.
Participation (like little league, everybody wins something) Pickled
Asparagus - not packed tightly enuf. But they tasted fabulous, nice &
crispy. Barbarian judge anyway.

The Jones wrote:
Finally got the courage to submit some of my pickles (and one jam) to
the Sourthern New Mexico State Fair in Las Cruces; they let us in
because our Texas county is so close and we don't have a fair of our
own. Canned goods are judged by appearance only. After seeing that I was
the only one who put processing procedure & time on the lables, I can
see why. Here's the turnout: 2 1sts, 3 2ds, 2 4ths, a 5th (a prize not
a bottle ), and one honorable mention. Thanks Barb and the rest
for inspiration, recipes and encouragement. Thanks to God & farmers for
the produce.
Edrena
1 jam: Second - Apricot Squared Jam (apricot w/apricot brandy)
8 pickles
1st/Blue - Red Wine Pickled Beets, no mention of the pretty star shapes
1st/Blue - Pickled Okra, judge liked the bright red chile pepper
2nd - Sweet Cuke Relish, ditto with red bell pepper but not green enuf
2nd - Madras Pickled Eggplant, some shredding of the pieces.
4th - Brandied Pears - uneven packing - they got me on that one.
4th - Pretty Pickled Peppers - uneven distribution of different colored
peppers. Picky, picky, picky
5th - Mixed Sweet Pickle [with caulilflower] - she like the color
distribution here but "could have been packed tighter". And squashed the
cauliflower, too. Next year I'll enter this one in a bigger jar for a
bigger impact. Really beautiful pickles.
Participation (like little league, everybody wins something) Pickled
Asparagus - not packed tightly enuf. But they tasted fabulous, nice &
crispy. Barbarian judge anyway.



Congratulations, good job. This does not sound as if it were a first
time effort. We on rfc are very proud of you and your achievements.
At least I am. M

The Jones wrote:
Finally got the courage to submit some of my pickles (and one jam) to
the Sourthern New Mexico State Fair in Las Cruces; they let us in
because our Texas county is so close and we don't have a fair of our
own. Canned goods are judged by appearance only. After seeing that I was
the only one who put processing procedure & time on the lables, I can
see why. Here's the turnout: 2 1sts, 3 2ds, 2 4ths, a 5th (a prize not
a bottle ), and one honorable mention. Thanks Barb and the rest
for inspiration, recipes and encouragement. Thanks to God & farmers for
the produce.
Edrena
1 jam: Second - Apricot Squared Jam (apricot w/apricot brandy)
8 pickles
1st/Blue - Red Wine Pickled Beets, no mention of the pretty star shapes
1st/Blue - Pickled Okra, judge liked the bright red chile pepper
2nd - Sweet Cuke Relish, ditto with red bell pepper but not green enuf
2nd - Madras Pickled Eggplant, some shredding of the pieces.
4th - Brandied Pears - uneven packing - they got me on that one.
4th - Pretty Pickled Peppers - uneven distribution of different colored
peppers. Picky, picky, picky
5th - Mixed Sweet Pickle [with caulilflower] - she like the color
distribution here but "could have been packed tighter". And squashed the
cauliflower, too. Next year I'll enter this one in a bigger jar for a
bigger impact. Really beautiful pickles.
Participation (like little league, everybody wins something) Pickled
Asparagus - not packed tightly enuf. But they tasted fabulous, nice &
crispy. Barbarian judge anyway.



Congratulations, good job. This does not sound as if it were a first
time effort. We on rfc are very proud of you and your achievements.
At least I am. M

The Jones wrote:
Finally got the courage to submit some of my pickles (and one jam) to
the Sourthern New Mexico State Fair in Las Cruces; they let us in
because our Texas county is so close and we don't have a fair of our
own. Canned goods are judged by appearance only. After seeing that I was
the only one who put processing procedure & time on the lables, I can
see why. Here's the turnout: 2 1sts, 3 2ds, 2 4ths, a 5th (a prize not
a bottle ), and one honorable mention. Thanks Barb and the rest
for inspiration, recipes and encouragement. Thanks to God & farmers for
the produce.
Edrena
1 jam: Second - Apricot Squared Jam (apricot w/apricot brandy)
8 pickles
1st/Blue - Red Wine Pickled Beets, no mention of the pretty star shapes
1st/Blue - Pickled Okra, judge liked the bright red chile pepper
2nd - Sweet Cuke Relish, ditto with red bell pepper but not green enuf
2nd - Madras Pickled Eggplant, some shredding of the pieces.
4th - Brandied Pears - uneven packing - they got me on that one.
4th - Pretty Pickled Peppers - uneven distribution of different colored
peppers. Picky, picky, picky
5th - Mixed Sweet Pickle [with caulilflower] - she like the color
distribution here but "could have been packed tighter". And squashed the
cauliflower, too. Next year I'll enter this one in a bigger jar for a
bigger impact. Really beautiful pickles.
Participation (like little league, everybody wins something) Pickled
Asparagus - not packed tightly enuf. But they tasted fabulous, nice &
crispy. Barbarian judge anyway.


Any money involved? Sounds a lot like our fair, covers 5 parishes and
only judged on appearance, no tasting. Everyone wins something even if
it's only a white ribbon. they do give a few money prizes, all 1 and 2
bucks apiece. Some little old ladies were so used to winning everything
that they complained when a little girl won all the first places a few
years ago. I entered once and then gave up when I saw how the judging
was done. Shoot, could have entered raw produce with colored water
around it and won at this one. Even the non-food entries everyone won
something, takes the fun out of it if there's no competition.

Congratulations Edrena, even if you weren't happy with the barbarian
judge. (Somehow I have the image of a little old lady wearing a horned
helmet and a bear hide stuck in my mind. Anything there like that?)

George, still grinning at his own thoughts

The Jones wrote:
Finally got the courage to submit some of my pickles (and one jam) to
the Sourthern New Mexico State Fair in Las Cruces; they let us in
because our Texas county is so close and we don't have a fair of our
own. Canned goods are judged by appearance only. After seeing that I was
the only one who put processing procedure & time on the lables, I can
see why. Here's the turnout: 2 1sts, 3 2ds, 2 4ths, a 5th (a prize not
a bottle ), and one honorable mention. Thanks Barb and the rest
for inspiration, recipes and encouragement. Thanks to God & farmers for
the produce.
Edrena
1 jam: Second - Apricot Squared Jam (apricot w/apricot brandy)
8 pickles
1st/Blue - Red Wine Pickled Beets, no mention of the pretty star shapes
1st/Blue - Pickled Okra, judge liked the bright red chile pepper
2nd - Sweet Cuke Relish, ditto with red bell pepper but not green enuf
2nd - Madras Pickled Eggplant, some shredding of the pieces.
4th - Brandied Pears - uneven packing - they got me on that one.
4th - Pretty Pickled Peppers - uneven distribution of different colored
peppers. Picky, picky, picky
5th - Mixed Sweet Pickle [with caulilflower] - she like the color
distribution here but "could have been packed tighter". And squashed the
cauliflower, too. Next year I'll enter this one in a bigger jar for a
bigger impact. Really beautiful pickles.
Participation (like little league, everybody wins something) Pickled
Asparagus - not packed tightly enuf. But they tasted fabulous, nice &
crispy. Barbarian judge anyway.


Any money involved? Sounds a lot like our fair, covers 5 parishes and
only judged on appearance, no tasting. Everyone wins something even if
it's only a white ribbon. they do give a few money prizes, all 1 and 2
bucks apiece. Some little old ladies were so used to winning everything
that they complained when a little girl won all the first places a few
years ago. I entered once and then gave up when I saw how the judging
was done. Shoot, could have entered raw produce with colored water
around it and won at this one. Even the non-food entries everyone won
something, takes the fun out of it if there's no competition.

Congratulations Edrena, even if you weren't happy with the barbarian
judge. (Somehow I have the image of a little old lady wearing a horned
helmet and a bear hide stuck in my mind. Anything there like that?)

George, still grinning at his own thoughts

The Jones wrote:
Finally got the courage to submit some of my pickles (and one jam) to
the Sourthern New Mexico State Fair in Las Cruces; they let us in
because our Texas county is so close and we don't have a fair of our
own. Canned goods are judged by appearance only. After seeing that I was
the only one who put processing procedure & time on the lables, I can
see why. Here's the turnout: 2 1sts, 3 2ds, 2 4ths, a 5th (a prize not
a bottle ), and one honorable mention. Thanks Barb and the rest
for inspiration, recipes and encouragement. Thanks to God & farmers for
the produce.
Edrena
1 jam: Second - Apricot Squared Jam (apricot w/apricot brandy)
8 pickles
1st/Blue - Red Wine Pickled Beets, no mention of the pretty star shapes
1st/Blue - Pickled Okra, judge liked the bright red chile pepper
2nd - Sweet Cuke Relish, ditto with red bell pepper but not green enuf
2nd - Madras Pickled Eggplant, some shredding of the pieces.
4th - Brandied Pears - uneven packing - they got me on that one.
4th - Pretty Pickled Peppers - uneven distribution of different colored
peppers. Picky, picky, picky
5th - Mixed Sweet Pickle [with caulilflower] - she like the color
distribution here but "could have been packed tighter". And squashed the
cauliflower, too. Next year I'll enter this one in a bigger jar for a
bigger impact. Really beautiful pickles.
Participation (like little league, everybody wins something) Pickled
Asparagus - not packed tightly enuf. But they tasted fabulous, nice &
crispy. Barbarian judge anyway.




Congratulations. It sounds like because they don't open the jars they
have to make up criteria for judging the entries.

Here in Olmsted County, they open the jams and jellies but they don't
open anything else. I can't figure out how you judge a pickle without
tasting it, so I always helpfully put the word "Crispy" or "Crunchy" on
the label. There's also only one judge and she seldom provides any
comments, and the judging is not open to the public, and there are no
scorecards. (I'm not sure if the judge is a barbarian or a philistine ;-)

Bob

In article , The Jones
wrote:

Finally got the courage to submit some of my pickles (and one jam) to
the Sourthern New Mexico State Fair in Las Cruces; they let us in
because our Texas county is so close and we don't have a fair of our
own. Canned goods are judged by appearance only. After seeing that I was
the only one who put processing procedure & time on the lables, I can
see why. Here's the turnout: 2 1sts, 3 2ds, 2 4ths, a 5th (a prize not
a bottle ), and one honorable mention. Thanks Barb and the rest
for inspiration, recipes and encouragement. Thanks to God & farmers for
the produce.
Edrena
1 jam: Second - Apricot Squared Jam (apricot w/apricot brandy)

So, are you gonna give a recipe? Via email if you don't want to post?

8 pickles
1st/Blue - Red Wine Pickled Beets, no mention of the pretty star shapes

Beets, huh? Barf. Congratulations, anyway!! Woo-hooo!!

1st/Blue - Pickled Okra, judge liked the bright red chile pepper

Sounds terrific.

2nd - Sweet Cuke Relish, ditto with red bell pepper but not green enuf

Hmmm. I wonder what happened? Did you soak the pickles or anything
before proceeding? How far in advance of submission did you make them?

2nd - Madras Pickled Eggplant, some shredding of the pieces.

Well, there ya go. Can't have them eggplant hunks shredding. Jeez.
Anybody knows that! "-)

4th - Brandied Pears - uneven packing - they got me on that one.

Nobody's perfect, Girlie.

4th - Pretty Pickled Peppers - uneven distribution of different colored
peppers. Picky, picky, picky

Yup. Especially if the jars are judged solely on appearance. Cretins.

5th - Mixed Sweet Pickle [with caulilflower] - she like the color
distribution here but "could have been packed tighter". And squashed the
cauliflower, too. Next year I'll enter this one in a bigger jar for a
bigger impact. Really beautiful pickles.

So, have you got pictures of these gems? Our scoresheet awards points
for proper brineickle ratio -- but they don't tell you how much is
enough or how much is too much. Same with relishes. Heathens.

Participation (like little league, everybody wins something) Pickled
Asparagus - not packed tightly enuf. But they tasted fabulous, nice &
crispy. Barbarian judge anyway.

Edrena, you rock. Reading about all those damn pickled beets made me
tired this summer! Congratulations, Toots!
--
-Barb, www.jamlady.eboard.com Updated 9-22-04; Fairs Fare tab.
"Peace will come when the power of love overcomes the love of power."
-Jimi Hendrix, and Lt. Joe Corcoran, Retired; St. Paul PD, Homicide Divn.

In article , zxcvbob
wrote:

The Jones wrote:
(impressive award list removed for brevity)
Participation (like little league, everybody wins something) Pickled
Asparagus - not packed tightly enuf. But they tasted fabulous, nice &
crispy. Barbarian judge anyway.

Congratulations. It sounds like because they don't open the jars they
have to make up criteria for judging the entries.

Here in Olmsted County, they open the jams and jellies but they don't
open anything else. I can't figure out how you judge a pickle without
tasting it, so I always helpfully put the word "Crispy" or "Crunchy" on
the label. There's also only one judge and she seldom provides any
comments, and the judging is not open to the public, and there are no
scorecards. (I'm not sure if the judge is a barbarian or a philistine ;-)

Bob

Philistine. The barbarian is in New Mexico. Edrena said.
--
-Barb, www.jamlady.eboard.com Updated 9-22-04; Fairs Fare tab.
"Peace will come when the power of love overcomes the love of power."
-Jimi Hendrix, and Lt. Joe Corcoran, Retired; St. Paul PD, Homicide Divn.

zxcvbob wrote:

The Jones wrote:
Finally got the courage to submit some of my pickles (and one jam) to
the Sourthern New Mexico State Fair in Las Cruces;
snipped awesome accomplishment...Barbarian judge anyway.


Congratulations. It sounds like because they don't open the jars they
have to make up criteria for judging the entries.
Here in Olmsted County, they open the jams and jellies but they don't
open anything else. I can't figure out how you judge a pickle without
tasting it, so I always helpfully put the word "Crispy" or "Crunchy" on
the label. There's also only one judge and she seldom provides any
comments, and the judging is not open to the public, and there are no
scorecards. (I'm not sure if the judge is a barbarian or a philistine ;-)

Thanks all - I really like this idea Bob - Maybe they'll change The Judge next
yr. We might even get a Samaritan! You never know when them helmet horns and
sheepskin tunics get too smelly. Our judge did put a few comments on the back
of the ticket so I got some idear of what she looks for.
Edrena

zxcvbob wrote:

The Jones wrote:
Finally got the courage to submit some of my pickles (and one jam) to
the Sourthern New Mexico State Fair in Las Cruces;
snipped awesome accomplishment...Barbarian judge anyway.


Congratulations. It sounds like because they don't open the jars they
have to make up criteria for judging the entries.
Here in Olmsted County, they open the jams and jellies but they don't
open anything else. I can't figure out how you judge a pickle without
tasting it, so I always helpfully put the word "Crispy" or "Crunchy" on
the label. There's also only one judge and she seldom provides any
comments, and the judging is not open to the public, and there are no
scorecards. (I'm not sure if the judge is a barbarian or a philistine ;-)

Thanks all - I really like this idea Bob - Maybe they'll change The Judge next
yr. We might even get a Samaritan! You never know when them helmet horns and
sheepskin tunics get too smelly. Our judge did put a few comments on the back
of the ticket so I got some idear of what she looks for.
Edrena

"The Jones" wrote in message
...
Finally got the courage to submit some of my pickles (and one jam) to
the Sourthern New Mexico State Fair in Las Cruces; they let us in
because our Texas county is so close and we don't have a fair of our
own. Canned goods are judged by appearance only. After seeing that I was
the only one who put processing procedure & time on the lables, I can
see why. Here's the turnout: 2 1sts, 3 2ds, 2 4ths, a 5th (a prize not
a bottle ), and one honorable mention. Thanks Barb and the rest
for inspiration, recipes and encouragement. Thanks to God & farmers for
the produce.
Edrena
snip list

Congratulations! A pat on the back for you.

Charlie

"The Jones" wrote in message
...
Finally got the courage to submit some of my pickles (and one jam) to
the Sourthern New Mexico State Fair in Las Cruces; they let us in
because our Texas county is so close and we don't have a fair of our
own. Canned goods are judged by appearance only. After seeing that I was
the only one who put processing procedure & time on the lables, I can
see why. Here's the turnout: 2 1sts, 3 2ds, 2 4ths, a 5th (a prize not
a bottle ), and one honorable mention. Thanks Barb and the rest
for inspiration, recipes and encouragement. Thanks to God & farmers for
the produce.
Edrena
snip list

Congratulations! A pat on the back for you.

Charlie

Mazel tov!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!
I am sooooooo impressed!
I LOVE home canned pickles but am afraid of all that work
(and the possibility of causing the rapid and painful death of people I love.)

Can you please post the recepie for the sweet mixed pickles?
Those I would try as I can no longer buy them here.
Lynn in Fargo

In article , George
Shirley wrote:
(snip)
Congratulations Edrena, even if you weren't happy with the barbarian
judge. (Somehow I have the image of a little old lady wearing a horned
helmet and a bear hide stuck in my mind. Anything there like that?)

Somehow I had the image of you in the helmet and bear hide, Jorge. And
it didn't jibe well with the pearls and little black dress, let me tell
ya.

George, still grinning at his own thoughts
--
-Barb, www.jamlady.eboard.com Updated 9-22-04; Fairs Fare tab.
"Peace will come when the power of love overcomes the love of power."
-Jimi Hendrix, and Lt. Joe Corcoran, Retired; St. Paul PD, Homicide Divn.

Melba's Jammin' wrote:
In article , George
Shirley wrote:
(snip)

Congratulations Edrena, even if you weren't happy with the barbarian
judge. (Somehow I have the image of a little old lady wearing a horned
helmet and a bear hide stuck in my mind. Anything there like that?)


Somehow I had the image of you in the helmet and bear hide, Jorge. And
it didn't jibe well with the pearls and little black dress, let me tell
ya.


George, still grinning at his own thoughts

Bear hide clothing always reminds me of the old cartoon where the
viking, Helgar(?) the Horrible, trying on new hides and his wife tells
the salesman that he wears a "56 frumpy." That would be pretty close to
my size too.

You would be surprised how appropriate a bearhide and helmet are with
the little black dress and the pearls, particularly in SW Louisiana. the
only danger would be some Cajun shooting you thinking it was a
transvestite bear. VBG

George