Chefs dish up their best at cook-off

The Colusa County Fair added a distinctive new flavor this year.

Playing off the popularity of the Food Network style of entertainment, fair officials decided local chefs and cooking contests could help fill in as entertainment at the 72nd annual exposition.

"I love to cook and I love to bake," said longtime Colusa resident Alma Hickel, who won Friday's commodity cook-off grand prize with her famous walnut pie. "I even grew and shelled the walnuts. The cook-off is a lot of fun."

Previously a Colusa Farm Show event, fair officials decided to move the contest to the Colusa County Fair.

"We didn't have as much participation as we would have like, but this was our first year at the fair," said organizer Bernice Dommer. "Next year we will try to get the word out and get more people involved."

Dommer said a prize of $250 is attractive for most home cooks.

Cash prizes and ribbons were also awarded in the individual contests.

The cook-off and chef demonstrations were held at the new Premier Mushroom L.P. Demonstration Stage in Festival Hall.

Locally-grown portabella mushrooms were included in the prize packages, Dommer said.

As in previous years, the cook-off offered area cooks an opportunity to show off their best recipes using California-grown commodities, including rice, nuts, tomatoes and beef.

Jerry Yarwood won first for his own creation — a sausage dish that featured tomatoes, plenty of spices and Premier mushrooms.

"I love to cook, but I'm not as good at it as my wife," Yarwood said. "She can really cook."

Tom Indrieri who demonstrated making a popular chicken dish said his demonstration went pretty well.

"I was cooking with lots of butter, and putting it over rice," he said. "What's not to like?"

Other local chefs demonstrated cooking with beef, salmon and wild game.

Keith Erickson, Colusa Casino executive chef, who judged Friday's cook-off and demonstrated cooking with crimini mushrooms (baby portabellas), said next year's contest will be streamlined to make the division more competitive.

"It's a good contest," Erickson said. "We would like to see more people show us what they can do."

CONTACT Susan Meeker at 458-2121 or smeeker@tcnpress.com.