It's the appearance and taste of baked goods that set some apart from the rest - and win them ribbons - at the Seneca County Fair.
"I look for appearance first," said Beth Diesch, who said she has been judging the competition for seven or eight years. "Then I taste it to see if it tastes as mouth-watering as it looks."
Carol Aichholz, marking her first year as a judge, said she looks for "appearance, taste, texture and just overall goodness."
Article Photos
PHOTO?BY?VICKI?JOHNSON
Judge Carol Aichholz cuts a slice of bread during baked goods competition, as Sue Rainey waits to record her choices.
Peg Carrick usually judges with Diesch, but this year she has a conflict so she asked Aichholz to take her place.
"I was surprised when she asked," Aichholz said.
But Diesch, owner of Aunt Mim's Kitchen, a bakery near Bloomville, said Aichholz was well-qualified.
"Carol is one of the best-known bakers in our area," she said. "When people think of Carol Aichholz ... I want to be thought of in that way."
Aichholz said she has entered the baked goods competition at Attica Independent Fair for many years, so the contest wasn't new to her. Now a short-order cook at Backroads Diner in Bloomville, she said she had to bake a lot as she raised her seven children.
The two judges chose the winners within the categories of cookies, candies, breads, pies and cakes, as well as categories for men and youth.
The entries were later sold to the highest bidder.
Mary Kingseed, who organizes the contest, encouraged people to enter the competition next year. She said there usually are 300-400 entries.
"We've gotten more youth and men to enter," she said.
She said the contest gets new entries when people walk by and decide they should enter next year.
"They enter one or two items and they see how it works, and then they start entering more," she said. "It's a learning process. It's a lot of fun."
