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AG and I have emerged from the cone of silence with a decision regarding the much asked about topic: How many items can a person submit???
The answer is....
We are going to allow people to make how much and whatever they want and AG, UC, Grizzled, and I will talk about each entry over the phone (once again, under the cone of silence) to ensure we judge accurately and fairly either abundance or solo item submissions.
All of the bribe-talking aside, we are actually aiming to hold a BAKED-GOOD CONTEST where surprise gifts packed in with entries will be enjoyed and appreciated, but judging will only be based on the baked goods. Those baked goods will be scored on taste, presentation, and creativity, with taste being the more important of all 3.
We're going mainly for cookies so we can have an easier time with continuity, but... if you have some stellar holiday BAKED item (made with sugar and flour... no holiday flank steaks, butt roasts, legs of lamb, etc, etc, etc, but a baked sweet treat) send it on.
Pass the word. We're hoping to break double digits as far as entrants are concerned. If memory serves, there were about 4 times more judges than contestants in the first one. Last year there were actually more contestants than judges, but this year... this year we're going for a blow out. Blue Girl and Res, originators of the Bake-Off are going oven mitt to oven mitt. You can knock them both off their *throwns*.
The secret word for success in any baked good contest?? No, not white sugar, that's two... the secret word is BUTTER. You're going to use so much butter that you're going to want to roll in piles of fresh green beans.
Get busy planning and spread the word. Make 'em work for it.
Sounds ultra shady. :)
There should be a set of first pass rules so judges may independently view the submissions followed by consultation to deal with the bribers. Like BG.
Posted by: Pinko Punko | November 29, 2007 at 05:58 PM
I like that!
I was trying to think of some way to judge things without knowing who they were from. I was thinking Grizzled could open the packages and put the stuff out to try. There would be no distraction by shiny goods, pretty wrappings, MONEY!!!
We're still working on the gradations of shady.
You're leery of BG. BG's leery of the passel of Chicagoans who will no doubt be plying us with bounty.
What a great time to be a judge! Woo-hoo!
Posted by: Jennifer | November 29, 2007 at 06:45 PM
I'm milking the squirrels and icing down the churn as we speak.
Posted by: Snag | November 29, 2007 at 11:37 PM
Judging on bakedness? Boo. I ain't sending any goodies that I'm not going to get judged on. Why work more?
Posted by: Mandos | November 30, 2007 at 01:19 AM
Someone must have bribed the judges. The fix is in, I tell you, in.
Posted by: Mandos | November 30, 2007 at 01:19 AM
Mandos- isn't your wonderful eggy thing baked? It's got to be! Wouldn't that qualify it as a baked item even if it's not doughy? And it's not like it's a slab of ribs or made with squirrel milk. Or is it?
Snag, you're not making the same thing as Mandos are you?
As for bribes. I've been paid not to tell.
Posted by: Jennifer | November 30, 2007 at 06:17 AM
No, but the spicy nut thing is not baked, technically. I mean, it's heated, for sure, but unless I throw in cookie bits or something, there's nothing baked about it.
And to think I bought special tools for that last night.
Posted by: Mandos | November 30, 2007 at 09:19 AM
Don't taunt me with spicy nut bits, Mandos... it's not fair! SEND IT!
Posted by: '06 Cookie Queen | November 30, 2007 at 09:29 AM
Oh and I still haven't been able to extract the eggy thing's recipe from my mom. It's going to take some work to do that.
Posted by: Mandos | November 30, 2007 at 09:40 AM
Mandos, have you tried waterboarding your mom? Word on the street is that's an effective interrogation technique.
Posted by: Snag | November 30, 2007 at 10:02 AM
As clarification, does it count if the sender was baked at the time?
Posted by: fish | November 30, 2007 at 11:57 AM
fish- I'm thinking at this point the only thing that matters is that the recipient is baked and has a raving case of the munchies. The munchies are going to be needed in order to get through this.
I'm dreaming of raw cauliflower and broccoli and the butter (squirrel butter for some) bash hasn't even yet begun...
Posted by: '06 Cookie Queen | November 30, 2007 at 12:05 PM
I would never stoop so low as to include a bribe in the package. If I do something silly like put some money or shiny objects in the package and unwittingly send them to you, I trust the judges will alert me to my error.
Posted by: Brando | November 30, 2007 at 12:19 PM
So what your saying is the best package to receive is actually "get baked-goods"?
Posted by: fish | November 30, 2007 at 04:49 PM
Brando- if you have snow, send it. I'm hankerin' for snow and we're bone dry... :(
fish... don't test me. You're on my dream kitten list and could easily be remoooooved.
Posted by: '06 Cookie Queen | November 30, 2007 at 04:54 PM