"Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> Ribbon WHORE??? Yer takin' money, are ya? "-) I, being more Genteel
> than Thou, describe myself as a Ribbon Slut, because there's no money
> involved. '-) At least no "real" money.
>

Depends I guess on what you term "real" money. I got $6 for each blue
ribbon at the county fair, but then I had to pay $15 in entry fees (included
free admission to the fair), so I netted $15. Illinois will eventually send
me $7 for each blue ribbon. I paid only $4 in entry fees, but I'll have to
pay to get into the fair.

I'll get the jars back, but the ingredients weren't cheap. I figure, what
with shipping charge for mailing my state fair entries, I won't even break
even.

So maybe I should start calling myself Ribbon Slut, too. But you know I
don't really care about the money -- it's the ribbons I want. I've got them
hanging along the soffits in my kitchen.

> Anny!! GOOD ON YOU!! Are you sharing the Plum Orange Jam recipe? If
> so, cough it up, Woman! If not, I understand. What kind of plums?
> Isn't that a riot about the differences in fairs and what they consider
> worthy and exceptional and not? Too funny.

Plum Orange Jam is from recipe in the Ball CBoHP. They call it Orange Plum
Jam; I switched the fruits in the name because it's really a plum jam with a
bit of orange and I thought it sounded too orange-y the other way. It calls
for optional orange-flavored liqueur -- I used Grand Marnier.

>
> Same peach salsa I tasted? I still have 1/4 jar in the fridge.
>

No -- I decided to try something different. This one is from the Ball
CBoHP. Frankly I think the other one is better -- recipe for it is at the
NCHP website as Peach Apple Salsa.

> Glad to hear the B&Bs were deemed worthy by Illinois' judging staff.
> 'Scuse me while I polish my nails on my bosom.

As well you should. Everyone loves them. I always make the minor variation
you suggest of using one red pepper and one green pepper. The red pepper
really adds to the attractiveness of the pickles.


> I made a great Mango-Raspberry Citrus jam; not sure if I'll enter it >
> kind of want to enter my Lemon Apricot stuff.

Both sound delicious. I'm about done with soft spreads for the summer,
except that I promised a friend I'd make some Blueberry Marmalade. I wanted
to make Grapefruit Marmalade last winter, and never got to it, so I'll
probably do that this year.
>
> I should be making stewed tomatoes and tomato juice for the Great
> Minnesota Get-Together; instead, I've been updating my website. I'm
> becoming quite comfortable with the software I use for it so it's easy
> for me to add to it frequently.
>

I went to the fair website, and frankly I'm envious. We got tickets to see
ZZ Top while we're in Springfiled, but in Minnesota you've got Jonny
Lang/Buddy Guy. Gotta love the blues.

> What's the rule they have that forbids you from entering the salsa lot
> next year? Have you won it x consecutive times? I couldn't put in my
> B&Bs for two years and will enter them this year with a slight variation.
>

I won the Best of Category rosette for the salsa, which means I can't enter
next year. Last year I won the best of category rosette for the Peach-Apple
Salsa (fruit salsas) and the Best of Division trophy, so I couldn't enter a
fruit salsa this year.

> I salute you!

Obviously, wins at the Illinois State Fair outshine the county fair wins,
but aren't as impressive as Minnesota State Fair wins. You get a lot more
entries than we do.

Frankly I was really surprised at the extrememly poor showing at the county
fair. Between the way food prices are going up and the great attention paid
to eating locally-grown foods, I thought canning was seeing a resurgence in
popularity.

Anny