Published: May 03, 2007 05:29 pm      

Community leaders test culinary skills

Baked ziti voted best overall

Back Fire beans, Alex’s cheese grits, Mike’s butterfinger cake, sinfully delicious pineapple cake, hot pepper peach cheeseball, Dairy Dawg’s honey bun split, blackberry cobbler, magic cookie bars, and baked ziti were just a few of the delights sampled at this year’s Taster’s Choice.

The peoples’ choice best overall was the baked ziti made by Pino Palombino, who will be the head chef at an Italian restaurant, T. Julianos, scheduled to open this July.

“It’s all great, I love to eat,” exclaimed Chris Smith. “I liked the baked ziti and the apple and pear salad with the poppy seeds in it.”

Anita Jervis also liked the ziti, as well as the peanut butter dressing in the apple and pear salad made by Lola Reed, and the chocolate chips in the magic cookie bars made by Judy Phelps.

Lana Goble’s favorite was the sinfully delicious pineapple cake made by Jack and Jerri Bolton. Elaine Lovelace, 5, enjoyed Kaitlyn’s salsa made by Dennis and Jodi Spurlock in memory of Kaitlyn Spurlock.

The North Laurel varsity cheerleaders asked various community leaders to team up with them to provide the community with a taste of their culinary skills and creativity.

There were 22 different celebrity chefs at this year’s event held Saturday evening at North Laurel High School. The categories included appetizers, salads, entrees, and desserts.

Best Appetizer was won by Melissa Wright and Stephanie Parker with Slow cooker Mexican dip; Best Salad, Lola Reed with apple and pear salad with poppy seed dressing; Best Entree, Jerry Hopkins with potato soup; Best Dessert, Jack and Jerri Bolton with sinfully delicious pineapple cake.

Doyle and Christy Jones, owners of T. Julianos, won for Best Presentation.

The judges were Sheriff Fred Yaden, Mayor Troy Rudder and Paul and Kathy Claiborne.

All proceeds from this event went toward the North Laurel varsity cheer program.

“It cost about $2,500 a girl this year when you start paying the uniforms, gymnastics, camps,” said Vicki Blair, coordinator of the event.

The cheerleaders placed second in Nationals in 2007 in UCA’s medium varsity division and also won the state title in the same division at the 2007 KAPOS competition. ESPN2 is scheduled to broadcast UCA’s National Competition on May 6. The time has not been determined.



Want a cookbook?

• Anyone who wants to buy a recipe book for $5 can call Coach Kim Wood at 862-4699.