The good news: I placed in 10 of the 20 canning lots I entered and 1 of
the 3 baking lots. There really isn't any *bad* news.

First place ribbons (canning) were for Blackberry Jelly, Cherry Amaretto
Jam, and Bread & Butter Pickles (Yesss-s-s-s-!!). Winning the Bread &
Butter lot for the third consecutive year means that I will not be
allowed to compete in that lot for two years. (*^;^*) Ain't that a
shame.

First place ribbon for baking was for Boy Brownies!! Oh, yeah! The
Chocolate Cherry Amaretto Brownies. I'm doing a tv appearance on
Saturday morning (KARE-11 for you Meen-a-soh-tans) at about 9:40 a.m.
pitching my Gedney State Fair Cherry Jam (an ingredient in the winning
brownies) and I know they're going to want the recipe. Trouble is I
didn't have much of a recipe -- I made it up as I went along. Guess
IBeBaking tonight or tomorrow to figure something out for them. I'll be
giving them a recipe for Cherry Chipotle Relish that they'll post on
their website. Gotta get that one made up, too. . . . I really should
learn to measure when I cook.

No other baking ribbons - go figure. Competition's getting tougher.
'Sokay. Oh cripes, I almost forgot: I was awarded 3rd place for the
Sweepstakes award for the Cookies -- that means the fine judges decided
my CCAB were the third best of all the freakin' cookie lots. I'm
pleased. There's no money in it for me and it doesn't show on the
online results info, either.

Other placings for canned goods were second place for Nectarine Jam;
third place for Plum Jelly, Cherry-Peach Jelly, Cherry Jelly, and Corn
Relish; fourth place for Apricot Butter (hisss-s-s-s-s); and fifth place
for Blackberry Jam.

I only took a few lousy pictures - the one of the brownies will be on my
website in a trice. And I *forgot* to go stand in front of my B&Bs and
accost innocent bystanders to tell them that those are MY pickles!
Good thing I'm going again. Modesty doesn't become me.

I took the first express bus to the Fairgrounds at 8:00 a.m. and was on
the 1:00 p.m. bus returning home. My dogs are barking. I'll go back on
Saturday morning for that tv thang and a two-hour stint in the Gedney
booth pitching my jams. (Catch the plural?) I'll go again for a 20-30
minute (!!) radio thing on KSTP-1500 with Joe Soucheray at 3:00 p.m. on
Friday, September 2; and La Twerp and her Female Parental Unit, Grandpa,
and Babi will go again on September 3. It will be Sam's first trip to
the Fair and She So 'Cited! "Rides? Animals, too?" I haven't seen her
in more than a month. I don't like that. I don't like that one
stinkin' bit.

It's good to be me. I hope it's not bad being you.
-Barb
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-Barb, <http://www.jamlady.eboard.com> Several notes since 8/18/05