Tamarack Time! tough to beat
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