Sunday, October 23, 2016

#71: tomatoes - September 2015

Our first tomato cookoff was held at Bronwen's Mount Pleasant apartment on the 7th of September. It was a lovely, warm evening, with that wistful end-of-summer feeling about it. There was room enough for all of us to sit at the kitchen table, drinking wine and enjoying the breeze.

COMPETITORS AND ENTRIES
stewed tomato salsa
Cass: "absentee salsa" stewed tomato salsa with garlic, cilantro, & green peppers* heirloom tomato & roasted garlic tart
Jen: "once bitten, twice shy" puff pastry tart with roasted garlic, roasted heirloom tomatoes, capers, & fresh herbs (recipe adapted from here)
smoked tomato risotto
Malloreigh: "smoke tomatoes erryday" smoked tomato risotto with cherry tomatoes, garlic, & basil
zucchini linguine
Liang: "Mario & Luigi" zucchini linguine with roasted tomatoes, chili flakes, & pine nuts
awesomesauce
Bronwen: "awesomesauce" spaghetti & homemade marinara with basil & olive oil garnish
salsa two ways
Allie: "it takes two to salsa" sun sugar tomato, cucumber, & cilantro salsa; roasted heirloom tomato, jalapeño & poblano pepper, & avocado salsa

*Cass competed for the first time, and in absentia, so we had more dishes than attendees.

CATEGORIES AND WINNERS
seconds: Jen
presentation: Jen
creativity: Malloreigh/Allie
tomatoeyness: Cass
perceived effort: Malloreigh
overall favourite: Jen

overall winner: Jen

best name: (unscored category) Allie

Sunday, September 25, 2016

#70: farmers' market & garden - July 2015

Our farmers' market & garden cookoff was held on the 19th of July at Ravenclaw House (Mal & Allie's). The idea was to use fresh, in-season items from your garden or the farmers' market. It was a very hot day, like much of the summer, so we enjoyed some cold beer and white wine while trying to catch a breeze from the open living room door.

COMPETITORS AND ENTRIES
pesto risotto
Jen: "green with heat stroke" garlic*-roasted zucchini* and basil* pesto risotto with toasted pinenuts
salmorejo
Bronwen: "nacho gazpacho" salmorejo (cold tomato*, bread, & olive oil soup) with patata* brava & coconut bacon
bruschetta
Allie: "that redhead Italian" bread* with bruschetta (tomato*, garlic*, & basil)
zaru soba
Kristina: "market after dark" zaru soba (cold noodles) in a soy & rice vinegar sauce with shiso*, mint*, okra*, tomato*, & homemade pickled ginger
jam & bread
Chris: "jammin'" baguette and 4 kinds of homemade jam topped with various fresh herbs*, with arugula* & blackberry* garnish
polenta tart
Malloreigh: "pie de la polenta" polenta tart with peach* filling, blueberry* sauce, & fresh basil*

Starred items are garden or market fresh.

CATEGORIES AND WINNERS
seconds: Bronwen
presentation: Kristina
creativity: Kristina/Malloreigh
perceived effort: Bronwen
best use of theme: Jen/Kristina
overall favourite: Allie/Bronwen

overall winner: Bronwen

best name: (unscored category) Jen/Bronwen

Saturday, September 17, 2016

#69: barbecue (second edition) - June 2015

Our second BBQ-off was held at Blühaus on the 21st of June, hot & sunny. While attendance was sparse, we ended up with a nicely complete meal.

COMPETITORS AND ENTRIES
cerulean cheese salad
Malloreigh: "cerulean cheese salad" arugula, grilled peach & pear, cashew blue cheese, and walnuts in a raspberry mustard vinaigrette
Thai tempeh
Jen: "dad jokes Thai tempeh" pad Thai-inspired marinated grilled tempeh with coconut ginger creamed corn, bean sprouts, & peanuts
roasted roots
Allie: "Earthbound" buttery barbecue-roasted fingerling potatoes, carrots, onions, & onion scapes
dessert bread
Ash: "the most ancient traditions" barbecue-baked focaccia bread with apples in a bourbon caramel sauce

Also in attendance was Tamara's dog, Bea, though much to her chagrin, she did not get to try the food.

CATEGORIES AND WINNERS
seconds: Malloreigh
presentation: Ash
creativity: Malloreigh/Ash
best use of theme: Jen
perceived effort: Ash
overall favourite: 4-way tie!

overall winner: Malloreigh/Ash

best name: (unscored category) Allie

Saturday, April 30, 2016

#68: sushi - May 2015

Sushi cookoff was held at Ravenclaw House on the 24th of May. It was a beautiful spring evening, and we enjoyed drinking sake in the living room with the front door open.

COMPETITORS AND ENTRIES
onigiri
Kristina: "one lump or two?" shiso & pickled plum onigiri with torched miso; carrot & pickle garnish
inari
Jen: "innananari" bean curd nigiri with sriracha mayo and black sesame seeds
squash temaki
Ash: "just squash it all together" squash temaki (hand roll) with potato, kale, cilantro, pumpkin seeds, and red curry sauce*
tempura roll
Malloreigh: "it's sushi, mate!" tempura-battered chicken-style seitan with cucumber & avocado in an inside-out roll, served with sesame mayo
battera sushi
Chris: "don't Osaka the boat" Osaka-style battera sushi with black & white rice, torched avocado, & fresh herbs; garnished with sake plum dressing, black sesame seeds, & gooseberry

Also in attendance were Jeff and two others (Maddie & Allie, I think).
*note: when I asked Ash about the photo, they specifically wanted me to photograph the messiest-looking cone.

CATEGORIES AND WINNERS
seconds: Jen
presentation: Kristina
creativity: Chris
perceived effort: Malloreigh/Chris
sushivity: (best use of theme) Jen
overall favourite: Kristina

overall winner: Chris

best name: (unscored category) Kristina