Behind the scenes at the Fair

Here's a short clip on how the judging is conducted at the fair.

Blue Ribbon Bread

My cinnamon swirl bread took first place at the fair! Thanks to my Dad for taking the picture above! (My entry is the squat looking loaf with the blue ribbon in the center of the picture).

This is a fantastic culmination of 10+ years of work recreating and perfecting this recipe. I'm very excited that my family's bread recipe (called Hayfring, haefring, all-day bread, braided bread or Grandma's bread) has received some recognition. I am the fourth generation to make this bread, and it is a very special day for me to learn that my entry won a blue ribbon at the Fair.

Many thanks to all of my relatives who shared stories of Great Grandma Tessmer's or Grandma Kohnen's version of this bread. Collecting their stories and primary source documents of the recipe has been a critical and fun element of my bread-baking journey.

Of particular note is my Aunt Joyce's variant of the recipe in which she creates a spectacular dinner roll (served every year at Thanksgiving), and my cousin Betty's copy of Great Grandma's recipe, written when she was taught to make the bread by GG at age 13.

I also want to thank my bread mentor and friend Brent (a State Fair Blue Ribbon-winning baker and all around Renascence man) for all of his coaching and teaching over the years. His lessons helped me become the baker I am today.

I'm excited to have won this ribbon, but an even cooler event came from preparing for this competition. When dropping off some of my test loaves at my brother's house, my nephew (who consumes the majority of my bread rejects) told me that he wants to learn how to make this bread too, thereby carrying on the tradition to a fifth generation and close to a hundred years of hayfring making in our family!

Baking Day

I spent the day at my friend's (and baking mentor) house, preparing our entries for this year's State Fair Competition. Brent entered two different loaves (olive and peasant) and I entered my family's bread recipe in two categories: white bread and other (as a cinnamon swirl loaf). I also entered my Grandma's crazy cake recipe.

After baking all day (and gaming during the down time), I returned home to make several more loaves. Brent and I then delivered our entries on Sunday morning.

We'll find out how we did by Thursday!

Taste of the Fair

Dad and I ate our way through the Taste of the Fair fundraiser last week. It was a great way to get ready for the fair!