Wooden Pin Competition - Saturday May 22, Noon - 2 pm

Greetings Friends of Æthelmearc and Noble Cousins from lands beyond, It is with great pleasure to announce the
Wooden Pin Competition at Æthelmearcs 21st War Practice again this year. So, please read the following
announcement and prepare to enter whether you are an experienced cook or a newcomer.

How to enter the Wooden Pin Competition:
The requirements for entering a Wooden Pin Competition are actually rather simple. Just bring an entry, (including
documentation that has a list of all ingredients for the entry); you have prepared yourself to the barn no later than
noon on Saturday, May 22nd to have it entered into the competition. These are the only requirements. However,
the entries are judged on the following criteria, so it may be beneficial to you to familiarize yourself with these criteria
so you understand how your entry is being judged.

Authenticity
Judges determine how well the recipe is as an interpretation of the recipe or style of the competition.

Documentation
Judges look at the documentation to note how the recipe was researched. Items they tend to look for are
the inclusion of the original recipe, the identification of the source of the recipe, and what if any substitutions
were made. A list of ingredients is necessary because judges may have food allergies.

Appearance
Judges look at the appearance of the food itself, if it looks like the image they get in mind from reading
the recipe provided in the documentation and if it looks appetizing.

Presentation
Judges look at how the food is presented, if the dish that it is served upon is appropriate for the time and
place of the recipe. They also look to see if the presentation interferes with the appearance of the taste
of the food or if it enhances it.

Taste
This is a cooking competition, and taste is the prime consideration that is given in the competition.
Simply put, judges determine whether or not the food tastes good.

Remember, entering a competition is more than just trying to win the Wooden Pin. It is an opportunity
for you to learn from the experience. Judges are encouraged to give lots of feedback, and the judging
form has been modified to aid in this endeavor. If after entering a competition and you have questions
about the comments made, please speak to the judge who made the comments. Their name is
provided on the judging sheet specifically for that purpose.

This year’s competition is meant to bring out the creativity in everyone who enters as this is our fifth year
for running it. So without delay, this years theme is: THE FOUR SEASONS

Some things to keep in mind:

1. This is completely up the the imagination of the entrant, however you decide to present it,
     the Four Seasons must be represented and obviously it should be made of food items.

2. Documentation is still required. For example if you prepare a soltie from a period inspiration,
     please include that inspiration in your documentation.

3. Download your entry form.

4. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at maestratomasia (at) yahoo.com