What Show Judges Look For

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 87, Issue 3, 15 September 1953, Page 297

What Show Judges Look For

By

EMILY E. CARPENTER,

Senior Tutor,

Department of Adult Education, Home Science Extension, University of Otago ' WHAT is it that makes a show judge award the coveted red ticket to this entry, while that one is passed over? How does she choose among several good entries? It is important to • know what show judges look; for, if competitors are to measure up to judges' standards and to improve their exhibits* . * SHOW . judges from all over New Zealand have provided material for this article by answering a questionnaire. In each section they were asked to state what they looked for, how they marked, and common faults and to give suggestions for improvements. Their replies are summarised below:— ■ < '.' ~ Preserves Section Jam: Judges consider a good jam to be one of a good, bright colour, true to that usual for the fruit. When jam is tipped out into a spoon or a dish it must sparkle as it catches the light. Jam is made to be spread, so it should not have large lumps of fruit floating in a thin syrup nor should it be cooked to a mush. It is made ; to be eaten, so , competitors should expect their jam .to be tasted. Judges look for a flavour as near as possible to that of the fresh fruit. ? 1 Marks are lost if jam has been overboiled, making ' it dark, . gluey, and lacking in flavour, perhaps even scorched. This is the. most frequently

listed .fault in jams. Any mould or sugar on top detracts from the appearance of the exhibit, as does shrinkage, which occurs when the .jam has been kept in too warm a place. Jelly must be sparkling bright and so clear that print can be read through the jar. Jelly, too, must be tasted. It should cut with the spoon, leaving sharp angles, but not be so stiff that it will not quiver as ■it is moved; nor

should it be so soft that it collapses and weeps into the dish. Again, a fresh fruit flavour is the desired quality. Entries in the jelly section are often very poor—dark, clouded, stodgy, and often of a very indefinite flavour. A

dark jelly, which indicates overcooking, is less to be praised than a light one, as it is much more difficult to attain setting point while colour and flavour are still fresh. Artificial colourings should never be added; nor should gelatine be added to make jelly set. These are artifices unworthy, of a good cook. Pickles and relishes are difficult to judge because of variety in type and seasoning. A good pickle or relish should be true to type and of correct flavour and colour for that product. Texture is hard to define, as what is desirable varies considerably, but the fruit or vegetable must always be properly cooked and the consistency neither too thick nor too thin. Tomato sauce is often too watery. It should not separate out as one so frequently sees. •. . ■ Bottling: What points do judges look for? First, they test the seal. Any jar which is not airtight must be disqualified, as obviously the food in it cannot be preserved. This means that the outer screw band . must be removed from vacuum seal lids so they can be tested. Housewives should always do this before they put food away on their shelves, yet many jars of bottled fruits and vegetables come to shows with this outer screw band on. If these cannot be removed by the steward, the entry cannot be judged. Jars' cannot be opened for testing the contents when they must stand on

show for some days, so judges place great emphasis on examining the outward appearance. A neat pack of well-graded fruit, is most important. There should be no blemishes or stalks left on, as these mar the appearance. The fruit or vegetable itself must be a good colour and look cooked. The syrup in which fruit is packed should be clear with no sediment. Fruit packed in water always looks well, but it has not the flavour and texture of syrup-packed fruit, so the latter gains more credits than the former. Fruit has been packed in

petrol, so when fruit looks suspiciously clear and bright, judges are within their rights in insisting that jars should be opened. Faults that judges notice most often are poor preparation of fruit and poor packing. Only the very best of fruit in prime condition is fit for preserving. It should be peeled or blanched most carefully so that no bits of skin are left to fall to the bottom and cause sediment. Over-cooking too, causes sediment as well as spoiling the appearance of the fruit. For success with bottled fruit, as with all entries, the exhibitor must be prepared to take pains, though perhaps one enthusiast went too far when she shaved her gooseberries! Select the very best fruit from that available and pack each piece in the jar with an eye to the most colourful and attractive effectall the blushing cheeks turned outward with apricots, all the stem ends hidden with tomatoes, rhubarb all cut to the same length, and so on. Do jars for showing separately, or reserve the best jars from each batch for possible showing. Do not keep prizewinners from year to year; they do not wear well. Staging an exhibit: Appearance counts with preserves. Judges like to see clear glass jars for jam or glasses for jelly and containers all of the same size. Pickles and relishes look best in uniform, wide-mouthed jars. Fill all containers in an entry to the

same height and cover and label them neatly. Dusty or rusty tops and fingermarked jars prejudice the judge against ,an entry. Put on new tops if necessary. Take a soft cloth to the show to wipe and polish, jars as they are set out on the show bench. Baking Section Scones: A good scone should be light and well risen with straight, even sides and a smooth top. The top and bottom should be an even, golden brown, and when a scone is broken open the crumb , should be soft, white, and spongy. Competition scones have many faults. Often they are poorly shaped, indicating that the mixture has been too soft, and have flopped everywhere. Sometimes the scone has been made very thick,. in an. attempt to make it look well risen, and so is thick and stodgy. Too often scones have a thick coating of flour on-the bottom, which is not at all necessary and is most unattractive. - Some scones when broken open are tough and leathery and the crumb is full of ’ holes and tunnels. A very open texture indicates too much baking powder,, and tunnels and toughness, are due to over handling, a very common fault. Scones are made for eating, so when they are smelt or tasted they should be fresh, sweet, and nutty. Specks of soda or a smell of soda and. a yellow tinge are most unpleasant to eater and judge alike.

There is some confusion about scone entries. In general, a plain scone contains no butter or fat and should be oblong or square. Round scones ■ are considered to be fancy in most schedules. Pikelets: Appearance is important. All pikelets in an entry look well if they are the same size and shape. It does not matter whether they are oval or round as long as they, are all the same and not too large or too small. The under sides should be smooth and evenly browned, while the tops should have the characteristic rings round the edges. ' When pressed with the ’ finger pikelets should feel light and spongy. . The judge breaks it open. Is /it soft , and tender? It l is more likely to ■be i tough and gluey, because many . pikelets are overmixed. The inside i crumb must be creamy with a fine, ; even texture. Tunnels and large holes I are faults as are dark lines indicating : that pikelets have not been properly i cooked. / '/ ' Common faults are much like those .among scones—overmixing, too much ! raising agent, poor cooking. Girdles 5 are often too hot, making the under r surface rough and blotchy instead of - smooth and even. ’ Baking powder breads: These are - .tricky to judge, as; often the schedules are too vague . and ’ one finds date i loaves and nut loaves in the same 1 class. Such different products . need f separate classes. Then, . unless a z special weight or size of tin has been 1 specified, large billy loaves are entered with those baked in baking powder

tins. Judging these together is. very difficult. \ ‘ ' " e ‘ • i T Quick breads, . made with baking powder, are similar to scones. The outside should be smooth, well risen,, and evenly browned top and bottom. When a loaf is cut the judge notes if it handles well and if the distribution of fruit or nuts is even. Then ; she 5 examines the crumb. A smooth, even texture, soft and spongy, with no tunnels or : open pores will • gain high marks. Taste and smell are most important, because judges never forget they are judging food. The loaf should have the. characteristic taste and odour of its particular ‘ type. ' : ‘ Again, overmixing is a common fault. Once , the dry ingredients : are in there should be no beating; one quick mixing until they are barely dampened. The mixture will look ; lumpy, . but getting, it smooth achieves nothing, more than toughness and tunnels. Excess of baking . powder gives a dry, wiry texture, and too much , soda makes it yellow with an unpleasant odour and flavour. Firing is important, as under-cooking causes , doughiness, perhaps even . a sticky dark line just under the; top crust.-. ; Shortbread: This is another class that needs some clarification. Should the mixture be baked in one - large round or in biscuit sizes? Should the top be fork marked, and if so, how much? . These are points to be decided by. the show committee and ..printed in the schedules as a guide to judges and exhibitors. . ■ ; ... Judges agree, about .what constitutes ’good shortbread. . A pale, smooth outer

surface with no crustiness is the first thing they look for. Then they break off a piece. It should be crisp and short in the : grain, breaking with a snap. Inside, shortbread must be of a fine, even texture and even colour. There should be no brown outside and white inside. When judges taste shortbread they are seeking a smooth feel with no graininess. Lack of beating leaves large sugar grains and causes coarse texture. Shortbread made of fresh butter, sugar, and flour needs no essences to give it flavour, but it does need salt to counter flatness. This, of course, is true for most baking. Good-quality, fresh, and wholesome ingredients give a flavour and aroma that no essence can duplicate. Biscuits: In general the remarks about shortbread apply also to biscuits. Coarse texture and overbaking are common faults. Too-thick biscuits are unattractive; so are over-decorated or highly coloured ones. > Sponges: Here again schedules should be more explicit. A true

sponge contains no butter and must not be confused with a butter sponge or a butter cake of the 3-minute variety. It would be better, too, if schedules had two classes for sponges, so that an ordinary sponge should not have to be judged against an arrowroot or cornflour one. A good sponge is well shaped, nicely risen, with straight sides and no hangover, and is evenly browned all over. When a judge cuts a sponge across she likes to see a fine, even, moist, and tender texture which is really spongy and springs back after being pressed with a finger. Sponges that are yellow or very pale are not favoured. The two halves of the sponge should have been evenly divided between the two tins to avoid having one thick and one thin layer. Some people weigh out the mixture into the tins to make an accurate division. The size of the tins is important, too, as it is for any cake. Too large a tin for . the . amount of mixture gives a flat, uninteresting cake that is bound

to be dry, and if the tins are too small, the cake is very deep and possibly not evenly cooked. Sponges get a hangover if too much mixture is put in the tin. Any filling used must be attractive and add to the fresh sweetness of the sponge or cake. Too much often looks untidy and soaks into < the crumb. Strictly, sponges should not be iced or even dusted with icing sugar, but that is a point for the show committee to decide. Fruit cakes: The outside appearance of cakes is judged first. Big mixtures should be deep, at least 3-i-in., preferably up to 6in. A good cake is well risen with a smooth, glossy top almost level or slightly rounded, never with a hump on it. . Cracks are a fault caused by too hot an oven in the early stages of baking. The cake when cut is judged first for colour. If dark, is it rich and dark? If light, is it pale with a golden crust? Then judges examine the crumb. Is the grain fine, close, and even, thus showing thorough creaming of butter and sugar? Is the texture soft and moist, with the fruit evenly distributed throughout? Finally, the all-important odour and flavour, are they rich and mellow? A madeira cake should have two pieces of lemon peel on top, and be round. Cakes lose marks most often because they are not properly cooked. Underfiring is as common as overfiring. Competitors are advised to take a standard recipe and practise .with it until they can cook it to perfection. Taking time and trouble with entries is the secret of success in baking as it is •in preserving. Needlework and Knitting Needlework There are many different needlework classes, but the same general remarks apply to all. Judges consider first the quality of the design and its relationship to the whole article. Then they examine the stitches used to carry out the design. Are they correctly and skilfully executed? Has a variety of stitchery been used, and what is the degree of difficulty involved? / Colour is important. Is it used to carry out the design effectively? Are the colours blended attractively, or is the effect crude and garish? Fabric, stitch, and design must be suited to the use to which the article will be put. Is the material for a supper cloth washable? Is the stitch practical? For example, are there long floating threads to get . misplaced in ironing? Is the design appropriate to the use? Leather cushions painted with moonlight scenes are an example of poor choice of design. No matter how beautifully executed, an article that is not suited to the purpose for which it is intended is wasted effort, because it will not impress a good judge. Finish also must be considered. Is the article neat and clean? Have all the ends of thread been neatly finished off, or were knots used? Is the back as neat as the front?. Does the edging employed agree with the rest of the work, and is it neatly done? Judges list as the most. common failing in needlework sections the use

of unsuitable designs and finishes. Painted organdie throwovers that cannot be washed are impractical and one small example of lack of fitness to purpose. An elaborately plaited cushion that catches the dust and cannot be laundered is another. Poor colour combinations cause marks to be lost. Insipid pinks, blues, and greens are as unfortunate as gaudy oranges and purples. Subtle colour groupings and shadings contribute very much to the general effect, and care in the choice of colour gains many marks. One expert needlewoman makes this comment: “Use black very sparingly; a little dark brown or navy gives a better effect”. - Judges are unanimous that greater care must be taken with stitches. They are often poorly done and lacking in variety. One sees stem stitch, satin stitch, lazy daisy, and little else. Many more interesting stitches can be done and the novelty would certainly influence the judge favourably. Use a variety of stitches, bringing in national types of embroidery like hedebo, hardanger, or assisi rather than the same few all the time. This means that competitors would be wise to avoid stamped or traced designs. Often the patterns are poor, ill related to the cloth or its purpose, and limit the kind of stitches that can be employed. Further, judges, get very tired of looking at the old, familiar designs at every show. A fresh, original work will be far more impressive. It appears that exhibitors could be neater, with their work. It must be clean, but not washed, and the back should be as tidy as the front, with no knots, loose ends, or loops to mar the finish. The hem must be neatly done, whether it is crocheted, hemstitched, buttonholed, or plain hemmed. Any finish is permissible, providing it is appropriate to the article. Never machine a hem or use machine-made lace. If the hem has been machine hemstitched already, buttonhole neatly over it. Crochet and tatting edges, if used, should fit in with the rest of the work. They are not appropriate with peasant-type embroidery. • Knitting Points by which knitting is judged are: — Tension: Knitting must be firm but elastic. Too loose knitting is bad, but too tight is worse, as it destroys elasticity and the garment felts badly when washed. Pattern: There should be no mistakes in the pattern or blunders such as two gloves for one hand. Proportion: Judges look to see that a garment is wearable. Its shape must be good, with every part in proportion. Sleeves that are too short or too long and neck openings that will not go over the head are bad faults. The welting on the tops of socks must be loose or it breaks during wear. Finishings: A neatly finished garment is as important in knitting as it is in sewing, Judges examine closely the shaping, casting off, grafting, sewing together, and buttonholes. They find most faults in this last group. Good work beautifully knitted in an intricate pattern is often marred by careless finishing. . Sometimes

the use of wool unsuitable to its purpose, such as crepe wool for socks, causes marks to be lost, but more common faults are poor shaping or uneven decreasing, poor joining with threads and ends showing, and poor finishingsometimes . even machined seams. • Coloured . work: Schedules should make a distinction between traditional Fair Isle patterns and modern patterns with figures in them. A true Fair Isle pattern always has the letters O X O on it. In all classes of multi-

coloured work the pattern should be neat and even, with threads carried over or woven in neatly at the back and no joins or knots to be seen. To improve their knitting entrants should watch all the points mentioned and . should ' remember that careful pressing is important. After being pressed the garment should be folded neatly, secured with rustless pins, and packed attractively. Attention to detail is the secret of success in showing.

How Judges Work Very few judges use a scale of marks,, though most agree that a score card would be helpful to judges and exhibitors. Judges usually work by elimination.' All the obviously belowstandard entries are discarded and selection narrowed to the few topquality exhibits. Then marks may be used or points deducted for faults. If a score . card were used, exhibitors could see where their faults lie and so rectify them. A conference of judges would be necessary' to; draw up score cards that all. approve, but it-would be a big step toward better shows. Disqualification / Judges do not like to disqualify, as it discourages. entrants and displeases stewards, but they-must do so if the entry - does not conform to the schedule. Articles entered in the

wrong class, four biscuits where, six were stipulated,, needlework that has been washed, and so on are all breaking the rules and such entries must be disqualified in fairness to exhibitors who .do abide by the regulations. It is essential fox’ intending exhibitors to read schedules most carefully. Improving Standard of Entries •-< ■ There are three ways in which the standard of entries might be improved:—■ First, show committees responsible for drawing up schedules should be most explicit in their definitions of what is wanted in each class. There is - need for clarification in every . section. Further class divisions would be advisable, especially, in needle-. ; work; for : example, in an afternoon’ tea cloth class an entry, with a. i in. border of crochet ’ should not have to be judged, against one with a 12in. border.

Secondly, judges can help by" being willing to explain the reasons for their placings. Some make helpful comments -to stewards or-exhibitors after judging, 'and when /.'entries. ■ of bay exhibits are being judged they ask for representatives of each organisation To be present. They , could, help most by introducing a system of score cards, as that would ' give uniform show . standards throughout the Dominion.' The. third, and most important step would be for competitors. . to . help themselves. If they study . the schedules before they enter, they will not be discouraged, by seeing N.A.S. (not according to schedule) .on-. their : cards. They should willing to learn from judges’ comments and successful exhibitors but most of all they , should take care. .They should practise, hard what'..they: decide to enter and give close . attention to finishings . and presentation.', .. That, extra effort gains : the coveted first prize; , All photographs by’. Niederer. ’. ■

Hints for Jams and Jellies HOW can jams and jellies be made better? Judges suggest ; they be made in small lots .(4 to 61b.) for quick cooking and good, colour and flavour. Make jams and jellies fairly early in the season before the fruit gets too mature. Light-coloured fruits are always more .. attractive than dark ones. Strain,the juice for jelly, or, better, bottle the strained juice and sterilise if. Leave • it for 3 or 4 . weeks before making it up into jelly; it will be found that much, more sediment separates out and the jelly will therefore be clearer. ■ ' .