From wetleather@onpmomma.isc-br.com Tue Jul 23 12:32:35 1996
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From: martin@plaza.ds.adp.com
To: "Greater Pacific Northwest Bikers' Social Mailing List"
Subject: Re: Cookoff
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Over on GPNDG, in the middle of flirting with some old bald guy, Beth asked
about this year's Cookoff:
> Hey, Martin! What are the official ingredients anyway?
A little history for the relatively newbies:
Wetleather's first cooking experiment was a vile plot, wherein a hapless
and mostly harmless biker was forced by the previously mentioned old guy
to eat bushels of lentils, while the happy crowds around him gorged
themselves on barbecue.
In an attempt to get revenge for this evil, the perpetrator was invited
to an apparently innocent dinner, and all the hordes of wetleather
were asked to help retaliate. A contest was declared; revenge was to be
served both hot and cold, in the form of buttermilk, lima beans, and tofu.
At the time, I thought I was kidding. Only the "real food" category was
serious, I was happily expecting a fairly common and ordinary potluck,
with few of the Official Ingredients. Who'd'a thunk bikers could cook?
_I_ didn't, but wetleather had a different opinion.
The first cookoff was a resounding success. Only a trepid few brought
Real Food, many new and some nearly edible foods were invented, the
competition was fierce but friendly, and dinner was a _treat_. So the
next year we decided to do it again.
The old guy didn't have any strong suggestions for the next year's
ingredients, we were looking forward to a repeat performance, so
we picked a fairly similar list. Wetleather's third great food
experiment, the Second Annual Cookoff, featured yogurt, turnips, and
squid. (The turnips were self-indulgent, I like them and wanted recipes.)
Again, fantastical and delicious food was presented, an evening
of wonder and revelry resulted, a great time was had by all.
But I wasn't pleased. Most of the winners both years just threw all of the
contest ingredients in a heap, added herbs and spices, and voila. It was
particularly annoying that two of the winning dishes the second year were,
respectively, turnip stuffed squid in yogurt sauce, and squid stuffed
turnips in yogurt sauce. "We've been too EASY on these amateur chefs", I
thought, "THIS year we'll make it TOUGH". So the ingredients for
wetLeather's Third Annual Cookoff were conceived in spite: blue cheese,
brussels sprouts, and chocolate. "Mix THAT with spices!", I snickered.
As we know now, they did, and that right well. Yet again, fascinating
and often delicious food etc, etc, etc.
But there was a Sour Note. De Judge pointed out that he _positively detests_
brussels sprouts, and as long as the subject had been broached, doesn't
particularly care for tofu. (A side effect of his strong distaste for
brussels sprouts was the depth of his astonishment when several of the
last years dishes were actually edible. He had to be forcibly restrained
from awarding first prize to every single brussels sprout dish he could
eat.) The poor man'd been trapped by his Official Position, three years
running, into consuming vaste quantities of barely edible, verging on the
revolting, foods. Much like the situation that started all this nonsense.
Something had to be done, so this year is "Judge's Choice".
So. This year's cookoff will be, as usual, the saturday before the saturday
before Halloween, (since some of our Certified Chocolate Mechanics have kidly
duties the saturday immediately before Halloween) which this year falls on
the 19th of October, in Vancouver, Washington. The usual detailed invitation
and instructions will be issued as the date draws nearer, but we should all
be marking our calendars and planning our winning recipes.
Costumes are encouraged, and a "best costume" prize will be awarded. Hint
to the inexperienced: Dressing up as a biker may work on your other friends,
but it doesn't pass on wetleather.
As usual, in addition to the Official Ingredients, there will be categories
for "real food" and "dessert", and "Seasonally Appropriate Creativity" in
respect of the then-approaching holiday. This year, rather than have the
hapless Judge trying to decide between the likes of 'cesca's key lime
cheesecake and Shannon's bourbon chocolate bombe, we're adding a separate
category for "chocolate dessert".
We're going to try something new for next year's ingredients. This year's
winners will get to select next year's list (must be GRAS, GRAF, and
conveniently available in at least the Portland and Seattle areas). To
avoid collusion, the entrants must declare their prospective ingredients
before the judging.
As for this year's Official Ingredients, De Judge hasn't said yet.
Ride safe, eat dangerously,
Martin
Martin Golding | People only like us
DBS #1 MAB #2 SMTC #3 KotLQ KotSM | because we have interesting friends.
martin@plaza.ds.adp.com Portland, OR
PS: Generally Recognized As Safe, Generally Recognized As Food.