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Tamarack Time! tough to beat

| October 16, 2008 11:00 PM

By ALEX STRICKLAND / Bigfork Eagle

If the Western Larch trees around Bigfork are, in fact, changing to gold, I didn't see them at Bigfork's annual Tamarack Time! festival on Saturday. It was tough to see much through the sugar-induced haze I experienced after plowing through samples of 22 pies as part of my duty as a pie judge.

Unsure of exactly how I ended up with such a plum assignment, I showed up Saturday expecting a significantly easier task from my last judging experience at a chocolate contest in Kalispell last year. I was mostly wrong.

Volunteers at the pie table cheerfully informed my fellow judge and me that any pieces of the sample bites they cut us that we felt we couldn't eat, would just be thrown away. Well, suffice it to say that my appreciation for baked goodies reaches a level that prevents me from allowing any to go to waste.

Apparently the rest of Bigfork had the same idea, because once the tables were open for business, lines snaked up and down Electric Avenue as people waited for all manner of sweets and stews and pretty much anything else.

Scott Roehdi, of California, was enjoying the pickle table and said he made sure to be in Bigfork for Tamarack Time this year.

"It's terrific," he said.

In keeping with the usual tradition, the pies garnered the longest line and were the first to run out, despite the plentiful number of entries.

I think I speak for all the judges when I say that the work isn't always easy, but we'll continue to press on as long as our services are required. It's the least we can do.

By the time we got to the end of the table the winners were fairly obvious, as was my impending indigestion. And to Bob Kun, baker of the winning Walnut Oat pie, I think I'd be willing to name my firstborn after you in exchange for a recipe. Just something to think on.

Tamarack Time! 2008 winners

Chocolate Desserts

1st - Jennifer Graham - Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

2nd - Ruth Galbraith - White Chocolate Cheesecake

3rd - N/A

Non-chocolate Desserts

1st - Rocky Feckette - Drunken Pudding

2nd - Mary Knoll - Apple Mixed Berry Crisp

3rd - Jennifer Graham - Pecan Pie Muffins

Cookies

1st - Jeanette McCormick - Chocolate Hello Dollies

2nd - Ruth Galbraith - Cass's Island Cookies

3rd - Carolyn Thomas - Almond Toffee

Pies

1st - Bob Kun - Walnut Oat

2nd - Myra Lindborg - Midnight Surprise

3rd - Shannon Kimball - Huckleberry

Stews

1st - Robin Magaddino - Beef Ragout

2nd - Steve Spanogle - Antelope Stew

3rd - N/A

Chili

1st - Terry Teich - Elk Chili

2nd - Debbie McCormick - Spicy Multi-Meat Chili

3rd - Ken - El Topo Chili

Pickles

1st - Janet Loranger - Triple Crown Pickles

2nd - Sue Hanson - Pickled Grapes

3rd - Elna Darrow - Bread and Butter Pickles

Unleavened and/or Sweet Breads

1st - Linda Russell - Beer Bread

2nd - Cheryl Ridderhoff - Cranberry Pecan

3rd - Jennifer Graham - Banana Bread

Yeast Breads

1st - Charlotte French - Orange Walnut Bread

2nd - Charlotte French - Dill Bread

3rd - Charlotte French - Rye Bread

Jams and Jellies

1st - Mindi Stweart - Cherry Rhubarb

2nd - Joanne Taylor - Swedish Gooseberry

3rd - Stan Fisher - Apricot Pineapple

Kids

1st - Alysa Schnell - Blond Brownies

2nd - Britnay Schnell — Brownies

3rd - Reid Barrow - Crispy Pretzel Bars

Most Precious Presentation - Manny Baloi & Jordan Betts — Pizza

Appetizers

1st - Beth Thorson - Stalfort's Buffalo Dip

2nd - Wendy Dellerson — Rumaki

3rd - Pat Wagner - Cheese Ball

Ethnic Foods

1st - Danielle Dellerson — Moussaka

2nd - Unknown - Tacheen (Iranian)

3rd - Jan Easton — Hummus

Casseroles

1st - Carole Meyer - Southwest Lasagne

2nd - Nancy Donahugh - French Toast

3rd - Shelly Gonzales - Shepard's Pie

Soups

1st - Ann Taylor - Cream of Mushroom

2nd - Rosemary Kovatch - Hungarian Chicken Paprika

3rd - Marie Mitchell - Three Tomato Bisque