WILLIAMSTOWN - The best of the best were chosen and all participants received high praises during the 57th annual Parkersburg News and Sentinel and Marietta A.M. Cookbook tasting and judging Wednesday.
Only 35 recipes of the 469 recipes from 67 people were chosen to participate in the final round of the competition at the Williamstown Women's Clubhouse in Tomlinson Park, according to organizer Sharon Coleman of the newspaper. Of those chosen, two of the dishes were not prepared for the tasting and were not judged.
Of those that were offered, three were from the same family and included a child.
Article Photos
Photo by?Jolene Craig
Joseph Sprouse, 11, of Parkersburg proudly poses with his second place winning Fresh Pea Soup following the 57th annual Parkersburg News and Sentinel and Marietta A.M. Cookbook tasting and judging on Wednesday.
Joseph Sprouse, 11, of Parkersburg won second place in the soups category with his Fresh Pea Soup while his mother Mary Sprouse won first place in the main dish category with her Chicken, Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya as her sister Jane Burdette of Parkersburg won third prize in the main dish category for her Coq au Vin.
"I'm really excited I won second place," Joseph said. "I definitely had lots of help from my aunt, she's my inspiration to cook and I dedicate my prize to her."
Mary Sprouse said their entire family loves to cook, so she wasn't surprised that her son wanted to enter the contest or that he won.
"I'm so proud of him to take the initiative to learn to cook," she said. "We do the cookbook every year and when Katie (Joseph's 6-year-old sister) is old enough to enter, she'll be part of this."
Burdette said the family was shocked to learn all three of them had recipes chosen for the tasting and that they placed.
"It's overwhelming to hear he called me his inspiration," she said. "And there is no doubt in my mind that he'll win the first place in the category his recipe is chosen in next year."
The judges of the event were Patty Christopher, a food columnist for the newspaper; Kiki Angelos, restaurateur and accomplished cook; Sarah Jalbert; Dave Rudie, executive chef at Parkersburg Country Club, and the 2010 winner Fred Ponko. Chef Yancy Roush, owner of Yancy's Five-Star Catering, served as the master of ceremonies.
The presentation at the tables was only part of what the judges were grading the dishes on. The other criteria included taste, preparation, originality and the overall appeal.
Angelos said she was happy to try the new foods with the people she's worked with for years.
"All of us have been working together for so many years that we know what the others are thinking," Angelos said. "It's much easier to judge the food when we're working as a team, a big family."
Ponko of Belpre was a first-time contestant last year and said he had a good time as a judge.
"I was really glad to be here and be part of the judging and tasting," he said. "I will have to enter (the contest) next year so I can be part of it again."
The top three winners in each category were chosen during Wednesday's tasting while the grand prize winner will be announced in the Nov. 18 issue of The Parkersburg News and Sentinel.
The winners are:
APPETIZERS:
First place is Anna McQuaid of Williamstown for her Salami Pinwheels.
Second place is Janet Herron of Vienna for her Cheesy Onion Tartlets.
Third place is Dave Prunti of Parkersburg for his Caprice Bruschetta.
SOUPS:
First place is Linda Pearson Daily of Parkersburg for her Corn Chowder.
Second place is Joseph Sprouse of Parkersburg for his Fresh Pea Soup.
Third place is Frank Bono of Parkersburg for his Italian Chicken Soup.
SALADS:
First place is Anna Dean of St. Marys for her Southwestern Chicken Taco Salad.
Second place is Tammy Morrison of Newport, Ohio, for her Pecos Chicken-Cornbread Salad.
Third place is Vickie Davis of St. Marys for her Spinach Salad with Chocolate Chili Dressing and Spiced Croutons.
MAIN DISHES:
First place is Mary Sprouse of Parkersburg for her Chicken, Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya.
Second place is Judy Piersall of Marietta for her Ethiopian Red Lentil Stew.
Third place is Jane Burdette of Parkersburg for her Coq auVin.
SIDE DISHES:
First place is Susan Stewart-Teague of Parkersburg for her Autumn Butternut Casserole.
Second place is Ann Carder of Ravenswood for her Summer Squash Casserole.
Third place is Erica Morrison of Vienna for her Pretzel-Topped Sweet Potatoes.
BREADS:
First place is Lola Smith of Ravenswood for her Three-Four Braided Bread.
Second place is Jean Wilkinson of Washington for her Blueberry Zucchini Bread.
Third place is Debby Carouthers of Belmont, W.Va., for her Coconut Zucchini Bread.
DESSERTS:
First place is Christy Knopp of Parkersburg for her Better Than a Restaurant Carrot Cake.
Second place is Pauletta Eakle of Hazelgreen, W.Va., for her Cream Puff Cake.
Third Place is Emogene Duncan of Washington for her Sour Cream Peach Kuchen.
