Posted by Clarion Ledger, MS on June 16, 2008 at 12:37:09:
Tasty 'homegrown' pastry impresses at cook-off
Justin Fritscher • jfritscher@jackson.gannett.com • June 16, 2008
Ann Hendrick says she doesn't consider herself a great cook, but that's not what the judges thought.
Nine state residents competed in a cook-off Saturday, dueling to serve up for the best dishes in the state that used home-grown ingredients. Hendrick's sweet potato pastry dish was named the best in the appetizer competition.
Hendrick was one of the Mississippi residents invited to attend after her recipe won the state Department of Agriculture and Commerce's "The Next Great Mississippi Homegrown Recipe Contest."
At the competition, they cooked in the style of Food Network's hit show, Iron Chef America, at the Mississippi Farmers Market on High Street.
Hendrick is director of college planning for the Education Services Foundation, Mississippi's not-for-profit resource for college planning.
She used her whole hour and a half to perfect her pastry that calls on Mississippi-grown ingredients such as sweet potatoes, onions, garlic, peas and pepper jelly.
"It takes a lot of time for the preparation," she said. "When you do the original pastries, you're doing small triangles."
Hendrick said the market was busy with people, and the emcees narrating the competition made it a lot of fun.
She said she participated to support local produce because homegrown foods are more healthful.
"I'm a real supporter of buying local," she said. "It's healthier. The food at the grocery stores travels 1,200 miles before it gets to your plate."
Hendrick said she enjoys cooking and loves to entertain.
The other categories were casserole and dessert.
At least 25 percent of their ingredients had to be Mississippi-grown fruits and vegetables.
Clinton resident Deb Patterson also participated in the competition, but her enchilada dish didn't finish first in any of the categories. But Hendrick said she heard it was pretty good.
"The emcees said they really like the enchiladas," Hendrick said.