On Aug 21, 10:20 pm, Melba's Jammin' >
wrote:
> Ribbon Sluts of the country, rise up!
>
> The Great Minnesota Get-Together began its 12-day run this morning at
> 0600.
>
> Several years ago they started making competition results available
> online so that interested parties don't have to drag their sorry
> carcasses to the fairgrounds at 0900 to check The Lists when the
> buildings open. The Lists list the winners in each lot for canning and
> baking. Chris and I used to be there when they opened the building
> doors at 9:00 a.m. Now we can be more relaxed about our arrival and I
> can know the proper demeanor to effect, jubilant, reserved, or pouty.
> :-) Jubilant is way out in front.
>
> Cutting to the chase, I entered the maximum number of canning entries,
> 20.
>
> Gentleones, the envelope please.
>
> Blue ribbons (first place) for Blackberry Jelly, Blackberry Jam, Stewed
> Tomatoes, and Tomato Juice. The tomato products have won their lot for
> three consecutive years each, thus prohibiting me from entering those
> lots for two years. Well, FINE, then!
>
> Red ribbons (second place) for nothing. Weird, but that's how it shook
> out.
>
> White ribbons (third place) for Plum-m-m-m Jelly, Raspberry Jelly,
> Strawberry Jam (berry-smashing aided by the Blue Ribbon Grandchild),
> Bread & Butter Pickles,
>
> Pink ribbons (fourth place) for Crabapple Jelly, Pickled Boiled Dirt
> Chunks (yeah, that's what the label said‹with the entry booklet name
> following it),
>
> No ribbon, but fifth place for Watermelon Pickles.
>
> and a Gedney prize for Best Cucumber Pickle with Balsamic Vinegar.
>
> Bombed in Grape Jelly (wild grape jelly, see my web site blog about that
> one), Mint Jelly (It's lovely, but puny in flavor ‹ see my website blog
> for that one), Strawberry Jelly (it vas so-o-o pretty, too), Peach Jam,
> Raspberry Jam (harrummpphhh!), Rhubarb-Orange Jam with Candied Ginger
> (some people don't know what's good), and Lemon-Apricot Jam (a reduced
> sugar recipe that may be the best thing I've made all summer
> long‹skroom!), Corn Relish (I don't get that either‹maybe somebody's
> using the recipe I've published so many times and doing it better than I
> do it‹fair enough‹or maybe they are not. Interesting, though.), and
> H-hot Ch-cherry Blackberry Relish (OK, so it sounds weird and it looked
> mooshy rather than relishy, it was still good, dammit).
>
> Then there was the baking. . . . The most gorgemous loaf of plain white
> bread I've ever baked came in‹somewhere in a galaxy far, far away; it
> didn't place. It has won first; last year it beat out the White Bread
> Queen's loaf, and this year? Bupkes.
>
> Boy and Girl brownies? Bupkes. Zip. Both have won blue ribbons in
> other years, though with not necessarily these recipes.
>
> Banana Bread that needed its bananas to rot for another two or three
> days I didn't have to be good? Fourth. A ribbon. Go figure. The
> streak continues.
>
> This is why I have so freakin' much fun doing this, even though I am
> ready for a rehab unit somewhere warm with scantily lad handsome and
> youthful men to minister to my aching bones and muscles and stuff ‹ it's
> always a crapshoot.
>
> Because of what began with some nasty words about fallen plums, I've had
> my moments in the sun and expect a few more. I clean up nice and
> generally show well. A basket of my stuff ‹ stuff *I* made‹ brought
> $650 to a great charitable foundation last week. How good is THAT?
>
> I'm scheduled to do an interview tomorrow morning for NPR's All Things
> Considered (don't know when it will be broadcast, this weekend or
> next?). I've been interviewed for a story in the New York Times. The
> NEW YORK TIMES, fercryin'outloud! How much fun is THAT? Last Sunday I
> got to encourage a little girl to learn to do what I can do. Sweet
> girl. I hope she needs to call me for help; I would love nothing more.
> Chris son has been emailing to his AZ friends all day; recipe requests
> have already come in from a couple of them. What? Nobody's got a good
> banana bread recipe except me? Unlikely.
>
> It's the Great Minnesota Get-Together and as it is with so many things,
> your interest and joy increases with the level of your involvement.
> I'm involved. My interest is way up there. :-)
>
> Somebody call Letterman or Craig Ferguson. Please. :-)
>
> The beat goes on. (Shut up, Bubba!!)

You never cease to awe and inspire! Go dirt chunks!

maxine in ri, who would know how to appreciate the Rhubarb-Orange Jam
with Candied Ginger appropriately, given the opportunity<G>