The New England McIntosh Growers Association is pleased and excited to offer our growers and all consumers of New England apples the opportunity to submit original apple recipes to our annual recipe contest. The contest is designed to encourage creative cooking with locally grown, New England apples. Holyoke Community College (HCC) is co-sponsoring the contest. Students in the college's culinary arts program will test the entries and complete preliminary judging.
Submit one recipe for each or all of the recipe categories: salad/side dish, entree, and dessert. Compete for cash prizes: $150 for first prize, $100 for second and $50 for third in each category. This is your opportunity to share with the community of New England apple eaters your best tasting, most creative dishes. Winners not only receive cash prizes but are featured in the NEMGA varieties brochure and web site. Finalists will gather at HCC in November, as judges, chefs from around the region, select the winning recipes. The public will be invited to the event, which will feature sampling of apple products, door prizes and raffles for apple and culinary items.
RULES: Contestants can enter one recipe in each of three categories: salads/side dishes; entrees; and desserts. The winning recipes will be featured in NEMGA's annual New England Apple Varieties brochure, which are distributed widely throughout the region, and on NEMGA's Internet website, www.apples-ne.com.
Recipes should specify exact standard U.S. measurements and list ingredients and measurements in order of use. Include complete step-by-step preparation and cooking instructions, cooking times and temperature. Specify the variety of New England apples used. No commercial cider or apple sauce may be used as an ingredient. Recipe size should serve six.
Beginning at the end of August, you can send your recipes to: New England Apple Recipe Contest, New England McIntosh Growers Association, Post Office Box 41, Hatfield, MA 01308. Online entries may be e-mailed to info@apples-ne.com. Remember to include name, address and telephone number. Winners will be notified in November . All entries must be postmarked by Friday, October 4 (e-mail entries must be received by 5 p.m. on October 4)
The first New England Apple Recipe Contest was made possible with funds from a Massachusetts Department of Food and Agriculture grant to NEMGA, and a Massachusetts Turnpike Authority agri-tourism grant to HCC.
The New England Apple Association is a non-profit trade association representing the region's apple growers. The New England states produce between four million and 4.5 million bushels of apples in an average year. The McIntosh, with its distinctive sweet-tart flavor, accounts for about two-thirds of the New England crop. Other popular varieties are the Rome, Macoun, Cortland, Empire, and Eastern Red Delicious. In all, more than 40 types of apples are grown commercially on New England soils.
Holyoke Community College, a 6,000-student college awarding the associate of arts and associate of science degrees, is part of the Massachusetts system of higher education. Its certificate program in culinary arts prepares students to enter the cooking profession as qualified cooks. HCC offers related programs in hospitality management and tourism and conference service.
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