Our BLT Challenge in LEO today

[Robin Garr]

It'll be a while, maybe this afternoon, before I get it Webified and out on the LouisvilleHotBytes front page, but I thought that participants and others would be interested to know that a somewhat more polished version of my report on the forum's BLT challenge - complete with pictures of Marsha, Dan, Ethan and Stephen and their creations - is running in LEO today. It'll be on news stands later in the day and is already running on the newspaper's Website:
http://leoweekly.com/?q=node/7491

[Robin Garr]

Since I posted the draft original and food photos in the Offlines Section right after the event, I won't cross-post the LEO version here today. For those who want to see it on LouisvilleHotBytes, though, it's now permanently linked at
http://www.louisvillehotbytes.com/?p=320
and also, for now, on the front page.

Wow, that sure looked like fun. Where was it held? Is that a picture of a BLT Ninja?

[Robin Garr]

Wow, that sure looked like fun. Where was it held?

Ran out of word space. Hey, didn't I just review you a few weeks ago, and compare you favorably to you-know-who?

Is that a picture of a BLT Ninja?

Why, I believe it IS!

Wow, that sure looked like fun. Where was it held?

Ran out of word space. Hey, didn't I just review you a few weeks ago, and compare you favorably to you-know-who?

Is that a picture of a BLT Ninja?

Why, I believe it IS!

Hey, we take anything we can get!








(and thanks again for the review)

I kinda liked being referred to as "Lynch" - I don't think that's ever happened to me before. Sorta made me feel like some sort of athlete.

A bacon athlete!

Robin, thanks for writing this up, I agree with *most* all your observations.

[Robin Garr]

A bacon athlete!

The best kind there is!

Robin, thanks for writing this up, I agree with *most* all your observations.

Lissen, if we thought we could get away with it, the judges would have awarded a four-way tie!

Everything looked and sounded amazing. I can only imagine how difficult it was to judge. I have totally got to get in on this action next time there is a challenge! Congrats to everyone! That BLT sushi looked very interesting! That's my kind of nutty thinking (and cooking)!

[Robin Garr]

Everything looked and sounded amazing. I can only imagine how difficult it was to judge. I have totally got to get in on this action next time there is a challenge! Congrats to everyone! That BLT sushi looked very interesting! That's my kind of nutty thinking (and cooking)!

Yeah, we gave zero forethought to the judging criteria, and it was my idea to borrow the Iron Chef system. It was only as we got way into it that it became obvious how much that system rewards wacky creativity and, relatively speaking, penalizes even excellent traditionalism.

If we had decided to base the criteria on something having to do with upholding the classic style and form of a BLT with scoring depending on excellence of ingredients and preparation, the outcome might have been reversed. Bottom line, in terms of enjoyment, it was mighty close to a four-way tie.

Ronnie (and everybody interested), we have talked about trying to sort of set up a quarterly-ish schedule of challenges (We figure once a month is way too often - besides, gotta have time to let the smack-talkin' build up. I surely did my share before the BLT challenge and then I had to eat crow while everyone else was eating bacon )

Dave was such a gracious host, and I know he's willing to host in the future, but some times we will be needing a joint with a kitchen - so if anyone has any ideas, give a holler.

And I think Robin touched on this before in the offline thread, it'd be nice to make some of the challenges for amateurs only, to encourage participation of those fabulous home cooks and foodies that might be otherwise intimidated to go up against the professionals (although I think events that mix professionals with home gourmets would be fun, too - or we could even do "professional" and "home gourmet" divisions of the same challenge).

I myself would like to be a judge sometime, so I can crush someone else's dreams *sob*

(kidding)

I was thinking that a "red sauce" challenge would be a good one for us amateurs. It is also something that can mostly be done off site. Most likley a pasta would have to be prepared fresh for each entry,this would also help to make for a more uniform judging platform. Lasagna might be another one to think about.

[Robin Garr]

it'd be nice to make some of the challenges for amateurs only, to encourage participation of those fabulous home cooks and foodies that might be otherwise intimidated to go up against the professionals (although I think events that mix professionals with home gourmets would be fun, too - or we could even do "professional" and "home gourmet" divisions of the same challenge).

This might be getting a little too complicated, but I wonder if it might work to come up with two or three "skill levels" and let them be self-selecting. I won't name names, but I think there are a few other forumites besides me who may have only worked minimally - or not recently - in restaurant kitchens but who have at least some hands-on or other professional food experience.

Given the choice, I'd probably rather go up against you pros and lose, figuring it would be a more challenging experience for me. Not to say that there's anything wrong with being a novice or apprentice cook - we've all been there, and I love the idea of a competition at a level that's comfortable for everyone. But I'd also like to see a more challenging option for those of us with some experience (or ego, as the case may be).

I myself would like to be a judge sometime, so I can crush someone else's dreams *sob*

(kidding)

By all rights, you should judge the event when I compete.

Oh my god - my boyfriend just came up with the best idea, ever - how about a "pro-am" event? Maybe the amateurs get to pick their pro partners in a random order, drawn out of a hat? That would be SO COOL!

This might be getting a little too complicated, but I wonder if it might work to come up with two or three "skill levels" and let them be self-selecting. I won't name names, but I think there are a few other forumites besides me who may have only worked minimally - or not recently - in restaurant kitchens but who have at least some hands-on or other professional food experience.

:

I would love to throw my hat in as an amateur.

I would be up for a challenge. Haven't worked in the kitchen for 13 years, but I've still got game!