Cooking contest highlight

Press, 12 November 1985, Page 34

Cooking contest highlight

Seven different threecourse dinners featuring New Zealand foods will be prepared and served at the Canterbury show on Thursday in a Young Farmers Club contest.

Seven finalists, each representing a Y.F.C. district, will prepare a three-course dinner for four people and act as host to three invited guests. The contest is sponsored by Hansells (N.Z.), Ltd, and has been held annually for the last 13 years. Finals in previous years have been held in Wellington, but the contest has moved to Christchurch this year to tie in with the Fifth World Congress of Young Farmers. The main course this year must be a lamb dish. Interest and originality of the menu is important and heavy emphasis is placed on a New Zealand image.

Dishes selected by contestants include such tantalising temptations as shrimp and crab moulds, marinated

lamb schnitzels, colonial drumsticks, and kiwifruit praline.

Although all seven finalists this year are female, previous contests have included males who have won the top honours in the last two years.

The aim of the contest is to find the best all-round host. Tui Flower, who has helped judge the competition since it started, said the food should taste good, look good, and the conduct of the meal should be pleasing so all involved are relaxed and can enjoy the occasion.

The other judges will be Gwen Kerr, home economist for Atlas appliances, and Dinah Keats, home economist, Hansells.

The contest will be held in Canterbury Court and entrants will prepare their dishes from 1.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. The meals will be served at about 7.15 and will be preceded by pre-

dinner drinks for the guests. The finalists are:— NORTHERN Karen Rowland, Malatana, on a 27ha market garden and kiwifruit orchard, has included salmon pate, ginger and apricot lamb, and almond peach delight in her menu.

SOUTH AUCKLAND From Pio Pio, Robyn Ryan who farms a 400 ha sheep and beef block with her husband, has chosen salmon patties, cumberland cutlets, and tangy marshmallow whip.

WELLINGTON Gillian Donovan, Taihape, lives on a sheep and cattle farm and has chosen shrimp and crab moulds, guard of honour, and fresh fruit salad served in brandy snap baskets.

EAST COAST

Salmon pate, marinated lamb schnitzel, and hazelnut meringue cake have been selected by Davinia Schofield, Tinui, who lives on a 461 ha sheep and cattle farm.

TASMAN

Thora Lawson, Kaikoura, a dairy farmer in partnership with her husband, will present pumpkin soup supreme, seasoned lamb and chocolate mousse.

AORANGI Andrea Chalmers, who lives with her husband on a farm at Tinwald, has chosen salmon and shrimp cocktail, colonial drumsticks, and kiwifruit profiteroles with chocolate sauce.

OTAGO/SOUTHLAND

Moneymore mushrooms, citrus lamb cutlets and kiwifruit praline will be presented by Alison Orr, or the Dunedin Suburbs club.