Bragging rights

Back at August Bank Holiday weekend we had our village produce show. So who came away with the bragging rights?

Some of us have to make do with odd little bits of success and I am proud of the fudge I make. I have learned, by being a helper at the show, to take note of what judges like and to learn from what they say. I have learned that our food judge seems to be very fond of my fudge. It has won three firsts and a second in the last 4 years. It looks ordinary but it is packed with everything bad for you and seems to be very popular.

So that’s my fudge on the small blue plate and I’m totally happy for my wife’s sweets, on the yellow plate came third. And here’s the judge’s comment.

I’m very happy with ‘lovely flavour and consistency.

But my wife has the real bragging rights with a collection of trophies but I’ll pick on her first prize loaf of bread.

And the comment here…

Brilliant – now who wouldn’t feel just a tad smug with that comment?

Show preparation

Maybe we are mugs but we do enjoy the village produce show which will take place in just a few days time. We enter with no great hope of doing well but just to enter into the fun and friendship of it all. Contrary to what newspapers and TV portray, whilst rivalry is keen it is very friendly. The old established competitors are always ready to help newcomers show their items to best effect.

This August has been hectic in our household, so real show thoughts have only just begun and the only photo I can show just now is of some of my wife’s potential entries.

In the foreground here we have garlic. Now there isn’t a class for garlic but there is ‘any other vegetable’. Could there be an attempt to wow the judge by plaiting the stems? That’s something advice might be sought on and an alternative, in plaited set is available.

Behind, sitting in a box, are various jars of jam, curd and chutney. Now they have been purposely decorated with a cloth top. It isn’t essential and the judge will taste some samples – but there’s no harm doing something to catch the eye.

I believe the white box contains sweets, but as I’m a rival competitor in that class (with two firsts and a second in the last three years) I won’t peep.

One of the things that makes this event really enjoyable is family involvement. It turns this into two shows in one. There’s the open competition and the private, family one, which continues after the show is over and we eat some of the items.

Yes, the show is good, wholesome fun for the family and friends.

Produce Show

Today it is the local flower and produce show. I shall be involved all day from 9 in the morning until it is packed away.

Of course, I have been involved already, for some time, getting my own exhibits ready.

I’m going to show you my cooking today/

I have made three items. My wife has made many more.

On the left we have my Victoria Sponge. This is made according to a given recipe so it will be up against near identical items. Last year my sponge cake won a prize. It won’t this year for despite only giving it the minimum time the recipe said, it has come out a bit dark. The judge won’t be fooled by my liberal sprinkling of caster sugar.

On the right is my fudge. It’s peanut butter fudge and it got first prize last year. I’m not sure this time. It seems to have come out a bit less firm than last year – but by heck it tastes good.

I have most hope for my cheese scones. They look good and they taste good.

Really, I only enter these things to show that village cooking doesn’t just involve the female gender – and I always hope to get some bragging rights over wife and daughter in law. Oh, and the other reason is because it is fun. It’s a shame more people don’t have a go.

Of course, the show isn’t all about cooking. There are vegetables, fruit and flowers, photography and other crafts all making up the exhibits. And it is all very friendly. Yes, we compete hoping to win, but we also compete so that if ever a spectator suggests, ‘well my apples are better than those’; we can say, ‘but you didn’t enter them. Why don’t you next year?

Digitally Enhanced

My wife and I love our village flower show. We have a garden and grow fruit and veg and flowers which we can enter. But there are also cookery classes and the bit I love – photography.

A few years ago the organisers decided to have a class called ‘Artistic Impression – a digitally enhanced photo’.

I worked for some time on my picture, which might have been based on something my brother in law once did – and I did similar things many times in the past. Indeed, as a teacher I used to teach students how to do it. I took a bit of one picture and merged it into another photo. This was the result.

Originally, this was a photo of my wife and me on the island of Eriskay – and if that name sounds familiar it may be because it is the ‘Whisky Galore’ island. But of course, the alteration involved the head and paws of our cat. I thought I’d done a good job but the judged pooh-poohed my efforts and then committed a dreadful slight. He awarded second prize to my wife!!

 

The following year he went one worse – and gave her first prize.

I have no arguments there. It’s lovely.

This was my effort last year and it got the first prize. It was my wife’s turn to have her efforts rubbished by the judge.

This year’s show is on the 31^st August. We’ll have entries, of course. I don’t know who will do well, but I gather there will be a new judge for photography. We like to have a friendly show with positive comments and so I hope the new judge will manage that.

By the way, the rivalry is 100% friendly. Regular stagers of exhibits go out of their way to help newcomers. Yes, we enter hoping to win, but none of us would dream of challenging the decision of the judges.