Friday, October 28, 2016

interesting volunteer job yesterday...

... that lead me to be a judge for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich competition. When we went on the tree walk, the county agent was hoping for a volunteer to help with judging a 4-H program for elementary school students.  I guess this program where you get to invent your choice of ingredients to make up your own version of p-b-j is a 'think outside the loaf' type of project, and  most certainly not a traditional sandwich. I enjoyed it, but if I should happen to do this again, you can bet I will take my bottle of water.

Participants were all grade school kids, so just the fact that they choose to enter the contest, and had to gumption to show up to put their creations together for display and tasting is remarkable. I was impressed with all the kids and their efforts. One was a second grader, who was apparently too young to actually compete. We were told she was just there for the 'practice', to see what it was like. She might be the star attraction next year.

Some of the concoctions were a bit 'iffy', but others were quite tasty. Even so, you will need a big glass of cold milk to wash down a clump of peanut butter when it gets stuck. I am guessing the event had some sponsorship from the GA Peanut Council, and was supported by the UGA Extension Service, which is how I accidentally got involved.

One young guy made a sandwich out of tortillas, with sliced apple in between the smears of peanut butter, then put it in a panini grill to heat it up. Another used thin layers of rice-krispy treats instead of bread, and put chocolate in between with the peanut butter ('way too sweet!) One young girl made hers on a circle of bread cut out with a biscuit cutter, folded it over, and turned the half-moon shaped sandwiches into fortune cookies, with a dipping sauce. The clever second grader used a cookie cutter to make hers in the shape of a flower, then added celery sticks and a leaf to make it look like a flower on a stem.

It was a bit intimidating trying to decide on scoring, but fortunately there was no need for a Grand Prize winner. They all got certificates, for various and sundry accomplishments: most ingredients, messiest, most nutritious, best presentation, etc. Winners all!

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