National Festival of Breads announces 2015 finalists

March 9, 2015

MANHATTAN, Kan. – After months of analyzing recipes, mixing, kneading, baking and tasting, a panel of judges has selected the recipes that will be represented in the fourth National Festival of Breads, sponsored by King Arthur Flour®, Red Star Yeast® and Kansas Wheat. The baking competition will be held June 13, in Manhattan, Kansas.

Cindy Falk, nutrition educator for Kansas Wheat and chairwoman of the National Festival of Breads, said the eight adult finalists and one youth champion represent an array of trends and flavor profiles.

"Finalists in the 2015 National Festival of Breads have risen to the challenge of developing creative, flavorful recipes that highlight some of the latest trends in baking," Falk said. "We look forward to meeting these contestants in Kansas this summer when they participate in the National Festival of Breads."

Eight adult finalists and one youth champion have been named for the biennial National Festival of Breads, the nation's only national amateur bread-baking competition. They are from all over the United States, from Maine to California. Finalists, their hometowns and the names of their recipes follow:

Ethnic:

Felice Bogus- Raleigh, North Carolina            Chickpea-Stuffed Aleppo Flatbreads

Mary Hawkes- Prescott, Arizona                       Cheddar 'N' Chilies Accordion Bread

 

Rolls:

Merry Graham- Newhall, California                  Curry & Chia Onion Buns

Amy Meiers- Santa Rosa, California                 Rosemary Cardamom Twisters

 

Whole Grains:

Ronna Farley- Rockville, Maryland                  Crunchy-Topped Coconut Almond Bread

Patrice Hurd- Bemidji, Minnesota                    Peppered Parmesan Veggie Bread

 

Time Saving and Simple:

Jane Fry- Elk Falls, Kansas                                    Chocolate Swirl Loaves

Lisa Keys- Kennett Square, Pennsylvania       Smokehouse Cranberry Cheese Bread

 

Youth Category

Ellie Sapat- Falmouth, Maine                        Wild Maine Healthy Blueberry Banana Nut Bread

Adult contestants will travel to Manhattan, Kan., from June 11-14, to bake their creations on June 13, at the National Festival of Breads, sponsored by King Arthur Flour®, Red Star Yeast® and Kansas Wheat. While in Kansas, contestants will participate in a host of additional activities, including a Wheat Harvest Tour with stops at a wheat farm, grain elevator and flour mill.

The grand prize winner will receive a cash prize of $2,500, plus a year's supply of Red Star Yeast® and an expense-paid trip to the King Arthur Flour Baking Education Center in Norwich, Vermont.

 

by Jordan Hildebrand