IT WON FIRST PLACE!!!
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://jamlady.eboard.com
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller

"Melba's Jammin'" wrote in message
...
IT WON FIRST PLACE!!!

Congratulations, Barb!!! I'm so impressed! I haven't dared enter anything
at the state level, and you've won ribbon after ribbon.

Will you redo the recipe so I can make some? (OK, I might be able to put
together a recipe on my own, but I'd be taking a chance it won't be as
good.)

My plan this year is to make sauces (of the non-dessert type) for Christmas
presents. I'll pack each box with 2 half-pint jars of sauce and a 4-oz jar
of mustard. There are 18 people on the list for homemade goodies this year
and I haven't made a single jar yet, so I'd better start getting busy.

Anny

In article ,
"Anny Middon" wrote:

"Melba's Jammin'" wrote in message
...
IT WON FIRST PLACE!!!

Congratulations, Barb!!! I'm so impressed! I haven't dared enter anything
at the state level, and you've won ribbon after ribbon.

Will you redo the recipe so I can make some? (OK, I might be able to put
together a recipe on my own, but I'd be taking a chance it won't be as
good.)

My plan this year is to make sauces (of the non-dessert type) for Christmas
presents. I'll pack each box with 2 half-pint jars of sauce and a 4-oz jar
of mustard. There are 18 people on the list for homemade goodies this year
and I haven't made a single jar yet, so I'd better start getting busy.

Anny

A couple things: LOL!! First, m'dear, allow me to quote YOU as far as
a recipe:

"I was just joking, Barb. I just had this picture of the Gedney people
going, "Barb, this is fabulous! We want your recipe so we can produce
it!"

And you going, "Make a cherry jam recipe, adding onions, garlic,
vinegar, and chipotles. Then add some more pectin. Then drain the
extra juice. Cook it up and put it in jars and process. It will get
really thick. Take it out of the jars, add some more vinegar, the
juice you drained earlier, some lime juice and some citric acid, then
rejar and reprocess."

I mean, I know if need be you could develop a recipe that's not so
convoluted, but the picture of you telling the Gedney people how you
actually made it struck me as a bit amusing."

I'm going to make it again, but may do things differently, though I
haven't thought of how, yet. And it might not be exactly the same as
this year's prizewinner -- but still good. It's a good *idea* and I'll
bet you could fake your way through it.

Anita Amaro putzed with it and came up happy with her result; maybe
she'll share with us.

Now, for the second thing: If your State Fair is held within reasonable
distance from you, *enter*! Go big or stay home! LOL! I have never
entered anything in my county fair and reason is pretty goofy. It's
less hassle for me to drive to the Fairgrounds in St. Paul (NE of me 25
miles) than it is for me to find the Dakota County Fairgrounds in
Farmington (about 20-25 miles SE of me). What state are you in? Is
it a large Fair? Did you see that my blue ribbon chili sauce was one of
THREE entries in the lot? My tomato stuff lots had 8-10 entries, I
think. Most of the lots don't get more than about 10-12 entries,
strawberry and raspberry jams, and dill pickles being the regular
exceptions. Twenty-one years ago I laughed when my pastor said I could
have bragging rights about my plum jelly being "the best in the state!!"
Feh! I told him that there were only about 8 jars entered in the lot,
fercripesake, and it was the best of those that were entered *‹ who
knows how many ace jellymakers just don't give a rip about the
competition and would never dream of entering in the Fair.

I think you should consider it for next year if this year's is past.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://jamlady.eboard.com
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller

"Melba's Jammin'" wrote in message
...

Now, for the second thing: If your State Fair is held within reasonable
distance from you, *enter*! Go big or stay home! LOL!

I live in the Chicago area and our state fair is in Springfield. That's,
what, maybe 150 miles away. Too far for 2 trips -- one to drop off entries
and one to see how well I did and (hopefully) pick up a ribbon. And I'm not
interested enough in the fair or Springfield in general to go there for a
week or more.

However, I checked a few weeks ago and they accept mailed-in entries. I'm
strongly considering entering next year. I only wish the state classes were
the same as Dupage County's -- the county has classes for Hot Salsa and Mild
Salsa while the state has Tomato-based Salsa and Fruit-based Salsa.

I'll have to check deeper into the rules. I thought I read something about
the state wanting all entries to be from NCHP recipes. No problem for soft
spreads, but the NCHP recipes for tomato-based salsa blow -- too many
peppers and onions and consequently too much vinegar -- sure home-canned
salsa will be tart, but it's not supposed to be unpleasantly sour. BBB has
much better recipes.

(OTOH, the NCHP recipe for Peach Apple Salsa rocks.)

I have never
entered anything in my county fair and reason is pretty goofy. It's
less hassle for me to drive to the Fairgrounds in St. Paul (NE of me 25
miles) than it is for me to find the Dakota County Fairgrounds in
Farmington (about 20-25 miles SE of me). What state are you in? Is
it a large Fair? Did you see that my blue ribbon chili sauce was one of
THREE entries in the lot? My tomato stuff lots had 8-10 entries, I
think. Most of the lots don't get more than about 10-12 entries,
strawberry and raspberry jams, and dill pickles being the regular
exceptions.

I didn't count the various entries, except I'm pretty sure that my green
beans were the only entry on that class. (Naturally I got the blue.) Most
classes get at least 3 entries. Some get maybe 8. "Pickles" is a big
class, so is "Jam, Marmalade or Preserves".

Twenty-one years ago I laughed when my pastor said I could
have bragging rights about my plum jelly being "the best in the state!!"
Feh! I told him that there were only about 8 jars entered in the lot,
fercripesake, and it was the best of those that were entered who
knows how many ace jellymakers just don't give a rip about the
competition and would never dream of entering in the Fair.

I think it does mean you're the best in the state. How many years did you
make jams and have people tell you that you should enter them in the fair?
I'll bet a few. Did you win blue ribbons the first year? Well, maybe *you*
did, but I didn't. I was a better canner the second year when I did win
some blues.

I'm the best salsa canner in Dupage County. That's my story and I'm
sticking to it.

I think you should consider it for next year if this year's is past.

Next year, probably. I just looked at the competition results for this year
and in some classes they gave only a first prize, or just a first and second
prize. Plum jam for instance got just a first prize. I suspect this means
they didn't get many entries.

Anny