Gale Collier of Redmond, Ore., has won the grand prize in the 2011 National Festival of Breads bread-baking competition, sponsored by King Arthur Flour, Fleischmann's Yeast and the Kansas Wheat Commission. Her recipe, "Quick Raisin Granola Breakfast Rolls," was selected from among eight finalist recipes that were bake-tested at the public competition on June 25 in Wichita, Kan.
Collier’s recipe was chosen by a panel of three judges, including Melissa Knific, Assistant Food Editor for Family Circle magazine; Aaron Clanton, Baking Curriculum Manager at AIB International; and Naji Toubia, owner of Bagatelle Bakery in Wichita. Judging was based on taste, originality, ease of preparation, healthfulness and appearance.
"The second National Festival of Breads was a tremendous success,” says Cindy Falk, nutrition educator for Kansas Wheat and chairperson of the National Festival of Breads “Our eight finalists were outstanding in every way, and their breads were creative, great-tasting and incorporated a host of top-quality ingredients, from wheat flour to raisins, cranberries and cheese. A crowd of nearly 550 people attended the event and participated in free baking sessions, sampled fresh-baked breads and cinnamon rolls and enjoyed our miniature trade show. The 2011 National Festival of Breads exceeded our expectations."
Collier receives a cash prize of $2,500, plus a year's supply of Fleischmann's Yeast and an expense-paid trip to the King Arthur Flour Baking Education Center in Norwich, Vt. She also earned the $500 Special Raisin Award, sponsored by California Raisins.
Each finalist also received a $500 cash award and expense-paid trip to Wichita. The Kansas visit featured a Wheat Harvest Tour, including a visit to a working wheat farm, grain elevator and flour mill.
Since its inception, the National Festival of Breads has played a role in helping eradicate childhood hunger. This year, the final product from each of the eight contestants was auctioned off at a benefit for the Share Our Strength program. During the Festival of Breads activities, fresh-baked cookies, cupcakes and cakes were sold at the Great American Bake Sale, a program sponsored by Share Our Strength. Loaves of fresh-baked bread and pans of cinnamon rolls, fresh-baked onsite by the Nebraska Wheat Growers Association, also were donated to the Great American Bake Sale. In all, more than $2,000 was raised to help feed needy children in Wichita and surrounding areas. Collier's Grand Champion bread was auctioned for $225 to Dillons Food Stores, based in Hutchinson, Kan.
More than 500 home bakers from around the country entered the National Festival of Breads, which sought the best original bread recipes from home bakers throughout the United States.
Additional information about the 2011 National Festival of Breads, including the finalists' recipes and a complete list of sponsors, is available on the official contest website, NationalFestivalofBreads.com.
Source: King Arthur Flour
