Bakers bring their pies to the fair
By Becky Barclay
Published in News on October 5, 2006 1:48 PM
The knife glided through the lightly browned meringue piled high on top of the pie. You could almost taste the sweet stuff melting on your tongue.
As the judges took bite after bite of all kinds of pies, onlookers anxiously awaited their moment to sample the goodies.
There was a record amount of entries in this year's pie baking contest at the fair -- 68, compared to 52 last year.
Six long tables held the goodies that had been baked with love and handled with the utmost care as they were transported to the pavilion to be judged.
Young and old alike stood nervously in line waiting to enter their pies. They carried them in cardboard boxes, plastic bags and plastic containers.
When it was their turn, they carefully unveiled their pie -- and sometimes multiple pies -- and handed them to the directors of the contest.
The pies were placed neatly in row upon row on the tables covered with red checkered tablecloths.
They were scored on creativity, texture, taste, appearance. Judges were Mindy Coles, Judy Trott, Michelle Dreyfus, Judy Taylor and Joyce Newcomb.
Almost an hour later, the judges had reached their decisions and scores were tallied to decide a winner in each of five categories -- cream, custard, fruit, nut and other pies.
As each name was called, the contestant proceeded to the judging area to receive his reward -- frequently to the cheers of family members and friends.
First-place pies were placed on exhibit for the duration of the fair. The others were sliced and handed out to audience members who rushed the tables for a taste of baked treats.
One of the contest directors, Jackie Flowers, said the contest went "great" this year. "The judges were very favorable about each category."
This year's winners in the adult division were:
*Cream pies -- Carolyn Lewis, first, Ann Worley, second, and Suzanne Tyner, third.
*Custard pies -- Nancy Cruse, first, Ann Worley, second, and Suzanne Tyner, third.
*Fruit pies -- Miranda Cox, first, Wesley Dill, second, and Margey Smith, third.
*Nut pies -- Sheila Overman, first, Margey Smith, second, and Carolyn Lewis, third.
*Others -- Becky-Jo Lane, first, Suzanne Tyner, second, and Lori Jones, third.
Winners in the youth division were:
*Cream pies -- Hannah Lee, first, Stephanie Sugg, second, and Amy Hill, third.
*Custard pies -- Victorian Lane.
*Fruit pies -- Elizabeth Rowe, first, Camille Phillips, second, and Darlene Tolbert, third.
*Nut pies -- Colleen Finlay, first, Christina Jones, second, and Tiffany Haskins, third.
*Others -- Katie Best, first, Heather Aycock, second, and Micah Lee, third.