Hola, mis amigos! Gather ‘round, because I have a confession: food competitions make me more nervous than a cat in a room full of rocking chairs!
Everyone says, “Relax, you’ll do great!” But let me tell you, the only time I feel calm is when I’m eating a slice of chocolate cake after it’s all over.
So, when I sent in my submission form for Denver Bakefest, I was buzzing with anxiety and excitement—like a piñata at a party! Culinary arts, especially desserts, are my passion, and you might think I’d be strutting into competitions ready to take home a trophy. But honey, the competition is fierce! We’ve got cooks, chefs, culinary students, and those lovely folks who bring a magical family recipe that’s been passed down like a secret family heirloom. I respect those competitors so much that I put my heart and soul into making my recipe shine!
For this Bakefest, I had a few crucial decisions to make. First, I had to pick a flavor. I settled on caramel apple, because who doesn’t love that sweet, tart goodness? My husband, my official cookie taster (and full-time dessert enthusiast), declared my caramel apple cookie the best thing since sliced pan dulce. So all I had to do was shrink my giant Denver-style cookie into a delightful little sandwich.
Now, let’s talk about my splurge: a fancy $100 bag of Belgian caramel chocolate chips. Yes, you heard me right! Even my husband raised an eyebrow at that one. But I thought, “Why not elevate my cookie to a whole new level?” Spoiler alert: that fancy caramel chocolate chips gave me a run for my money!
Next, I went to work perfecting the thickness of my cookies. A cookie sandwich needs to be soft enough to bite into without turning into a sticky mess, but sturdy enough to hold the filling. I baked about 40 to 50 test cookies—yes, I know, call me cookie-crazy!
Now, for the pièce de résistance: the filling. I had a great one lined up, but oh, that $100 caramel haunted me! I tried, tried, and tried some more, but it just wasn’t working. So, at 2 a.m. the night before the competition, I went back to my trusty filling. It was like reuniting with an old friend—tired, but right!
After a few hours of sleep (more like a power nap), I stumbled into the kitchen like a zombie, ready to bake! Fresh cookies were a must, so I lovingly crafted each sandwich and rolled them in crunchy apple bits. Then we packed everything up and headed out, ready to conquer the Bakefest!
When we arrived, we had about an hour to set up. It felt like a whirlwind, like prepping for a pop-up, but this time I was making friends with my fellow competitors—shoutout to George, my tablemate, who whipped up a fabulous Pavlovka cookie! As people started showing up, I was a mix of nerves and excitement, but once I started chatting about my cookies, the jitters melted away.
Now, let’s talk about the competition! Some folks think it’s all fun and games, but honey, it’s serious business! About 30 competitors in the Cookie Sandwich category showed up ready to win. Each of us believed our dessert was the best, and trust me, my competitors brought their A-game! There was a gluten-free sandwich, a peanut butter cookie, the cutest bee hive cookies, and oh, those Pavlovkas from George that made my heart flutter.
As the day went on, I realized I was running out of cookies faster than I could make them. I was offering a $5 cookie for a $1.50 ticket, and savvy attendees were grabbing them in multiples! By the time I looked up, I was almost out—oops!
Then came the moment of truth: the winners were about to be announced. My nerves were doing the cha-cha in my stomach. When they called my name, I thought I was dreaming! I was shaking, but my husband nudged me and said, “Go on up, you just won!” I floated to the stage, accepted my award, and then a reporter from the Denver Gazette wanted to chat. Honestly, I don’t remember a thing I said. I was just so happy that all my hard work paid off!
Exhausted but over the moon, we wrapped up the day with a celebratory lunch at the Imperial. Let me tell you, I crashed harder than a teenager after a late-night party. Until next time, my sweet friends! Keep baking, keep smiling, and remember: if life gives you lemons, make a lemon meringue pie!
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