June 26, 2013 - 1:42pm
A Very Good Day at the San Diego County Fair
Entered six items in Baked Goods category, with the following results:
First Place Sourdough and Best of Yeast Breads Division:
Old School Jewish Deli Rye (ITJB pp. 74-76)
First Place Other Breads:
Sweet and Rich Challah (ITJB pp. 33-34)
Second Place (Rolls, Sourdough, Cookies):
The Classic New York Water Bagel (ITJB pp. 98-100)
Mixed-Grain (NYB Farine Rustique) Sourdough Miche
Rainbow Cookies (ITJB pp.223-224)
And my Russian Coffee Cake (ITJB pp. 167-168) got an Honorable Mention, probably because I underbaked it initially and had to return it to the oven after I finished it with apricot syrup, which darkened the top and produced a slightly charred note.
All in all, not a bad day.
Stan Ginsberg
www.nybakers.com
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Comments
Quite impressive Stan....maybe you should write a book about bread & baking !!
Jeff
Thanks, Jeff. Actually #2 is in the works!!
S
Stan,
I consider book #1 to be quite a treasure and a follow up..........a tough act. Good luck with it and do let us know what you can when you can.
Jeff
It was my understanding after talking with the Home Baked Goods dept. that the contest was for amateurs only. I'll stay with jam or pies if I enter.
Sylvia
And I'm an amateur, according to the director of that particular competition. I spoke with her to confirm my standing in June, before sending in my paperwork and entry fees. Yes, I disclosed the fact that I co-authored ITJB with Norm, who was a professional. No, I have never been paid as a baker, been licensed as a baker, nor have I ever baked for pay in a bakery or other food establishment, Based on that disclosure, the Fair official assured me that I was and am an amateur and confirmed that I was eligible to enter.
Coincidentally -- or perhaps not so coincidentally -- I just received a phone call from a Fair official asking for clarification of my status, since it appears that someone local lodged a complaint. I assured her, as I am assuring you now and as I assured the official with whom I spoke in June, that my record and my conscience are clear.
Stan Ginsberg
www.nybakers.com
PS. The official who called this afternoon asked me about nybakers.com and I explained to her -- as you and most other TFLers know -- that NYB sells ingredients, supplies and equipment only. Despite our name, we don't sell baked goods.
was lodged from me.
There's a lot of people that live in San Diego. This is one of the largest state fairs in the country and it gets very competitive. Glad to hear you posted your qualification's as an amateur. It clears a lot up.
I sincerely apologize for any offenses I have caused you.
Sylvia
Apology accepted. Thanks
Stan
in the awards Stan; 2 firsts, a best in division, a 2nd and and honorable mention. Way to go!
but who's counting? LOL
Way to go Stan! Whoever lodged the complaint should buy a copy of your book and step-up their game for next year.
and I agree. All it takes to beat me is to be better than me. Bring it on!!!!
Congrats Stan. Those are some beautiful looking bread and those rainbow cookies look perfect.
Ian
It was a labor of love (and ego LOL).
Stan
The judges have good taste :) Your Deli Rye is one of my favorite ryes to bake and the one that many of the people I bake for love. I have hi-jacked your leaven builds and now use your 'method' with a lot of the different rye breads I bake. Easy to do and creates a wonderful texture when added to the rest of the ingredients making the doughs easy to shape.
Anyway, congratulations on your entries. You must have been a very busy man just prior to the fair to have been able to compete in so many divisions. Thinking big pays off big time *- )
Take Care,
Janet
I also love that rye, especially with some cured meat on it. The work was definitely intense: two solid days of mixing/baking, but worth every second.
Stan
Of good looking breads. Norm must be grinning tonight!
Your book is on my list for this year to read and to use for recipes. I make a mean challah and my rye bread (1/3 rye, 1/3 whole wheat) is getting really good. It tastes as good as what I remember from the bakery on Ave. Z, by Coney Island Ave., in Brooklyn. Bagels seem like a huge challenge, so I will read your words of wisdom and peruse your website. My ultimate challenge will be to make a kasha knish a la Mrs. Stahls.
Congratulations on the San Diego awards!
I, too, loved Mrs. Stahl's, of blessed memory. When they shut their doors in Brighton Beach, I was crushed. Yonah Schimmel? Feh! Gabila's? Oy! Mrs. Stahl was really the only one. I don't know if you've seen this article, but it's got the recipe for her potato knishes, including the dough. The kasha should be an easy switch. (I used to love the cabbage knishes).
www.jweekly.com/article/full/66560/mrs.-stahls-famous-knish-recipe-finally-found-in-san-francisco/null
Stan
I have been meaning to make that recipe for a while. Like my grandmother's stuffed cabbage recipe, it will take a while before I am ready to try something that lives so perfectly in my memory.
We used to go to Mrs. Stahls every time we walked to the beach, which was at least once a week. And when we were little, they would give us a little ball of dough. I can practically smell the ocean now.
Turning out an exceptional bread is pretty satisfying. Turning out several exceptional bakes is even better. Having others recognize it too is the cherry on top of the sundae.
Great work, Stan. Try not to pop too many buttons! ;-)
Paul
P.S. If a new book is on the way, can I sign up to be one of the test bakers? I didn't get in on the fun with ITJB because of my workload while in South Africa.
It was and is really gratifying, except for the noise surrounding that challenge to my amateur status. Still, no matter what happens, my bread came out strong.
And yes, you'll definitely be one of my testers when the next book gets underway.
Stan
Congratulations! I just bought some of the NYB Farine Rustique flour from you. Is that miche baked with just the Rustique or did you add other flours/seeds/grains to it? It looks great. Lavanya
It's straight Rustique, hydrated to 70%, and thanks.
Stan
The powers that be met yesterday afternoon and decided that my virtue is intact and I can keep my awards. :)
Stan