Kitchen Jam

After posting the winners of the classes at New York State Fair’s Canning & Preserving competions, I wondered what kinds of categories other jammers and canners across the country could find at their state fairs — and who was winning these categories in 2009. Thanks to the wide reach of the Internet,  many of the answers to my questions are only a search query away.

Alaska is so large that it has two divisions to its atate fair – one in Fairbanks, and another in Palmer. So without further ado, let’s give a shout-out to these winners of the canning and preserving categories at the Alaska State Fair (Palmer), which ran August 27 – September 7, 2009! These official results were taken from the Alaska State Fair website.

Canning Division Champions
Division 01: Junior, 12 and under: Parker Caldwell of Wasilla, AK
Division 02: Junior, 13 – 17: Kenny Larson of Palmer, AK
Division 03: Jelly: Becky Menefee of Palmer, AK
Division 04: Preserve: Robbie Johnson of Anchorage, AK
Division 05: Conserve: Nicole Bendle of Wasilla, AK
Division 06: Jam: Tanya Shanks of Palmer, AK
Division 07: Juice: Cari Lester of Wasilla, AK
Division 08: Syrup, Sauce, Blossom Honey: Sherry Whitstine of Wasilla, AK
Division 09: Sugar-Free: Robbie Johnson of Anchorage, AK
Division 10: Chutney, Relish: Robbie Johnson of Anchorage, AK
Division 11: Vinegar, Oils: Sharon Horwath of Wasilla, AK
Division 12: Pickles: Robbie Johnson of Anchorage, AK
Division 13: Vegetables: Cheri Thomas of Eagle River, AK
Division 14: Fruit: Gloria Gale of Palmer, AK
Division 15: Dried Food: Arthur Mueller of Palmer, AK
Division 17: Seafood: Elaine Martin of Wasilla, AK

Canning Special Awards
Best of Show Robbie Johnson of Anchorage, AK
Judge’s Choice Robbie Johnson of Anchorage, AK
Judge’s Choice Gloria Gale of Palmer, AK

Ball Fresh Preserving Special Award
(Fruits, Adult, First Place) Gloria Gale of Palmer, AK
(Fruits, Adult, Second Place) Gloria Gale of Palmer, AK
(Vegetables, Adult, First Place) Cheri Thomas of Eagle River, AK
(Vegetables, Adult, Second Place) Gloria Wilson of Wasilla, AK
(Pickles, Adult, First Place) Robbie Johnson of Anchorage, AK
(Pickles, Adult, Second Place) Judy Lavigne of Anchorage, AK
(Soft Spread, Adult, First Place) Michelle Hamrick of Anchorage, AK
(Soft Spread, Adult, Second Place) Janice L. Anderson of Anchorage, AK
(Fruits, Youth) Kenny Larson of Palmer, AK
(Vegetables, Youth) Kenny Larson of Palmer, AK
(Pickles, Youth) Hayden Scalis of Anchorage, AK
(Soft Spreads, Youth) Angus Shaw of Wasilla, AK

C & H Sugar Special Award (entry using C& H sugar, Judge’s Choice)
(Open, 1st Place) Robbie Johnson of Anchorage, AK
(Open, 2nd Place) Janice C. Anderson of Anchorage, AK
(Open, 3rd Place) Tanya Shanks of Palmer, AK
(Junior, 1st Place) Emma German of Palmer, AK
(Junior, 2nd Place) Kenny Larson of Palmer, AK
(Junior, 3rd Place) Parker Caldwell of Wasilla, AK

Congratulations, Alaska jammers and canners!

Do you know someone who’s won a ribbon at the county or state fair for jams, jellies, relishes, pickles or anything else jammed, preserved or canned? Send me a link to the state site, and I’ll give them a shout-out here at Kitchen Jam. And of course, if anyone would like to share your special state or county fair recipes, please contact me at gaelen2 at yahoo dot com.

2009 NYS Fair Jam & Canning Winners

If you look hard at this picture of all canned food and jam entries which won 1sts, 2nds, 3rds, or honorable mention ribbons, you’ll see a 4-oz. jam jar with a white plastic cap and a red ribbon in the upper left corner of the display. That’s my Apricot Chipotle Jam, which took second place in this year’s New York State Fair Culinary Competition, Freezer Jam category. The bright green rosette in the top left corner is on Kathy Wood’s 1st-place, Canned Foods section-winning jar of Red Pepper Relish. Blue = 1st place, red = second, white = 3rd, and the yellow ribbons are awarded to NYS Fair entries which earn an Honorable Mention.

Second place isn’t a big cash prize (but it’s $5 more than I had yesterday!) My jam earned 97 points: 38/40 for taste, 29/30 for originality and 30/30 for appearance. The judges commented that my jam was ‘Very spicy & hot but very good, nice texture & appearance.’ Helen Lyon’s beautiful 1st-place Apricot Freezer Jam earned 98/100 points (and I’ll try to get that recipe!) All of the canning, jamming and preserving prize winners are on honor display for the entire 12 days of the fair in the showcase corner of the Art & Home Center at the Fairgrounds, where the culinary judging takes place every day.

Come by and visit–and be sure to pick up your copies of free recipes from class and competition sponsors, and a copy of last year’s grand prize winning entries!

New York State Fair (unofficial) Results: Culinary, Canned Foods
Thursday, August 27, 2009 – Class First Prize & *Section Winners

Chili Sauce: Kathy Wood
Vegetable Relish: Kathy Wood *
Chutney: Geri Bilotti
Dill Pickles: James Kluga
Sweet Pickles: John Gross
Canned or Pickled Fruit: Janet Bender
Canned or Pickled Vegetables: Mary Jane Kovachi
Canned Fruit or Vegetable Juice: no entry

New York State Fair (unofficial) Results: Culinary, Jams & Jellies

Friday, August 28, 2009 – Class First Prize & *Section Winners
Sweet Jelly: Yvonne Bakowski
Savory Jelly: Helen Lyons *
Jam or Marmalade: Rosemary Tomasetti
Preserves: no winner
Freezer Jam: Joan Archambeau (Apricot)

* Kathy Wood’s winning entry – Red Pepper Relish – won the Canned Foods Section. Helen Lyon’s winning entry – Flashy Red Onion Jelly - won the Jam & Jelly Section. Both Kathy and Helen will compete again on Labor Day in the New York State Fair Culinary competition section winners cook-off, where Kathy’s relish and Helen’s jelly will be judged against section winners from the other days of culinary judging.

And if I can get those prize-winning recipes, then with Kathy and Helen’s permissions I’ll share them here. Congratulations to everyone who entered and to those who took home a ribbon!