Date: Fri 20-Dec-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

enjoy-egg-dessert-contest

Full Text:

with photos... : Contest Yields Some Incredible Edible Desserts

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

Martha Stewart and Julia Childs would have been proud.

Sally Spencer of 10 Bresson Farm Road was crowned champion of the first-ever

Newtown Bee -Connecticut Poultry Association's Egg Dessert Recipe Contest last

Friday at The Bee .

Her Italian Cream Cake, a three-layer cake sparked with coconut and nuts, had

the judges ooohing and aaahing, beating out 44 other recipes in a battle of

the bakers.

But it wasn't just her recipe that stood out; Mrs Spencer's baking was

top-notch, too. Her Italian Cream Cake formula, which has been in the family

for nearly 20 years, was chosen from the entries to go oven-to-oven with two

other Newtown residents with a passion for the art of dessert. Finalist

Patricia Marble of 29 Bradley Lane brought with her a tasty Pumpkin Cheesecake

that would have most thinking of Thanksgiving in December with just one bite,

while finalist Nancy Dunn delivered her Best Coffee Cake fit for a king.

In the end, however, it was Mrs Spencer's cream cake that rose to the top.

"When I saw the announcement for the contest in The Bee I knew right away that

I wanted to enter," she said. "I'm a home ec. major and I love to cook, but I

never saw a contest that I could enter. When I heard about this I said, `all

right!'"

Mrs Spencer, who submitted three other recipes, said she felt her Italian

Cream Cake had a shot at winning since it called for separating the egg yolks

and beating the egg whites.

The winner, who moved to Newtown two years ago from Florida, took home a $100

check awarded to her by judges Bud Gavitt and Jim Rock, representing the

Connecticut Poultry Association. Also judging was Bee associate editor Kaaren

Valenta.

The poultry association has been sponsoring the event for the past two years

in the eastern half of the state, but included the other half of Connecticut

this year looking to promote "the incredible edible egg."

The judges based their decisions on the desserts' taste, appearance, texture

and originality. They were especially fond of the Italian Cream Cake, which

had an impressive taste and appearance.

"This is very rich, but very good," said Mr Gavitt. "It has a good body and

the frosting is rich. I think what helps this cake is the nuts they use - it

gives it an added flavor."

"This is an excellent cake!" exclaimed Mrs Valenta. "The nuts and coconut

gives it an interesting texture."

The Bee contest received 45 entries from the area, with recipes calling for

everything from one egg up to two dozen eggs. The two dozen eggs recipe was

for something called Pizza Dolte, a "sweet pizza." There were three recipes

submitted for flan, and a few entrants submitted more than one recipe, which

was allowed.

Entries were divided into three categories: those that called for one to two

eggs, three to four eggs, and five or more eggs. The choice for the winners in

each category was made by Mr Gavitt and Larry Lomvard, an assistant manager at

the Central Connecticut Coop Farmers Association, based in Manchester. One

recipe was selected from each division, and the three choices were pitted

against each other for the bake-off.

"The purpose of this contest is to get people to use one or more eggs in

creative egg desserts," explained Mr Gavitt. "We were pleased to have received

so many recipes, especially with this being the first year for the contest in

this area."

Mrs Marble, who took home $75 for her cheesecake, admitted that the event

helped get in the mood for the holiday season.

"When I first saw the advertisement in The Bee , I read it and turned the

page, then I said, `wait a minute, I have a really good recipe that has four

eggs in it,'" she explained.

Mrs Marble said she perfected her pumpkin cheese cake at the age of 16 and has

since been baking it every year around the holidays. Her family loves it. In

fact, she has a cousin who lives in Japan who comes home for Christmas each

year just to get a taste of her scrumptious cheese cake.

Through cooking, she tries to recapture what she remembered it being like at

her grandmother's house during the holidays.

"The only part I hate is cleaning up," said Mrs Marble, who walked away with a

$75 second-prize check.

"It isn't pumpkin pie, but I can taste the pumpkin, certainly. It's a good

cheesecake, said Mr Rock, a retired Cooperative Extension educator in poultry

science.

"For cheesecake connoisseurs, this is very good," judged Mr Gavitt.

Mrs Dunn of 7 Harvest Common Road, who moved to town from Michigan a little

over a year ago, said her best coffee cake is modified from several different

versions. She perfected it about two years ago. A manager at Project Finance

in Fairfield, Mrs Dunn brought her coffee cake with her to work, knowing she'd

have to drive straight to the 2 o'clock contest. She walked away with a $50

third prize.

"It's moist, and very sweet. It almost tastes like coconut, but it's the

rolled oats that give it that flavor," commented Mr Gavitt.

"This is very sweet and sugary, very tasty. You can really taste the sugar in

this one," Mr Rock said.

Mrs Valenta pointed out the latest information on eggs contradicts what many

have been saying in recent years.

"Information that just came out says that if you don't have a cholesterol

problem, you can eat one to two eggs per day now," she noted.

"The American Heart Association has recognized the same thing," Mr Gavitt

said. "They claim egg consumption is increasing per capita."

"It's a very inexpensive way to get your protein," Mrs Valenta added.

According to Mr Rock, a recent study released by the University of Minnesota

shows Mrs Valenta is indeed correct.

"And as far as taste goes, people like the taste of eggs," he continued. "The

same study found a lot of people will eat them on the run, as sandwiches. Egg

consumption seems to be going up. There's a lot less emphasis on cholesterol.

What I'm hearing more and more is a total healthy diet, with everything in

moderation."

All three judges admitted no matter what studies point out, the stigma of eggs

being bad for health lingers.

When it came time to judge the recipes, contestants were rated on a 100-point

scale, broken down as follows: Taste, 50 points maximum; Appearance, 25

points; Texture, 12« points; and Originality, 12« points.

While being congratulated by the judges on her first place finish, Mrs Spencer

smiled and could not refrain from the inevitable pun. "Thank you, I'm very egg

-cited at being named this year's winner."

(Shannon Hicks contributed to this story.)