2023 Logan County Fair

Patty Huffer and Rose Harrold dominate at the Friday culinary judging

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[August 08, 2023]  Friday morning was the second section of the Department O Dairy and Culinary judging, focusing on candies, snack foods and cakes. The day proved to be a boost to the confidence of several local cooks and bakers as their items took first place ribbons at the discretion of judge Brenda Silano.

Silano, a Home Economics teacher was judging the Friday event for the second year in a row. Her style of judging is quiet and quick, making the large show last only a couple of hours.

As she went along, Silano did share a couple of interesting facts in the cake category. For example, did you know that German Chocolate Cake is not an old-world recipe from the country of Germany?

It’s true. The cake was the concoction of Samuel German in 1852 in the United States. German had developed a sweet chocolate that was lighter and with a milder taste than the original dark chocolates of the day. To help market his product he created the “German’s Sweet Chocolate Cake” recipe.

Silano said later on, the apostrophe “s” was dropped, and the cake became German Sweet Chocolate Cake. And of course, today many people leave out the word “sweet” and simply refer to the cake with a lovely coconut and pecan filling as “German Chocolate Cake.

The morning of judging began with the candies and snack foods, where Patty Huffer won three of the categories to dominate the first half of the day.

Candies and Snack Food winners were:

Peanut Cluster (no photo)
Brooke Harnacke

Peanut Brittle
Carlene Carter (pictured left) with her sister Darlene Crider who won the carmel corn category

Caramel (no photo)
Rose Harrold

Fudge without Marshmallow Crème (no photo)
Kathleen Buse



Patty Huffer took first in the “Any other candy not listed” category with her peanut butter Buckeyes.



In Snack Foods, Huffer won the first category of the day taking home a ribbon for her “Pretzel Treat.”

Snack Food winners cont.

Carmel Corn
Darlene Crider



Trail Mix
Patty Huffer



Cereal Treat
Karen Sandel

[to top of second column]

In the judging of the cakes Rose Harrold won three categories, the chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, Angel Food cake and the Chiffon cake. Knowing she would have the opportunity to bake at the Cake Classic, Harrold was asked which of the three cakes she would bake on Sunday. She said her first choice would be her chocolate cake.

In the cakes the winners were:



German Sweet Chocolate Cake
Karen Sandel



Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Rose Harrold



Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Christy Cross

Red Velvet Cake, frosted
Christy Cross



Baker’s Choice
Hannah Crider with her Strawberry Banana Cake with Strawberry Frosting
Displayed by 2023 Junior Miss Logan County Ella Wrage, and Miss Logan County Fair Ellyn Martinez



Angel Food without frosting
Rose Harrold



Chiffon Cake with no frosting
Rose Harrold

[Nila Smith]

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