Faraday's Holiday Baking Contest

The popular Lakeway-area cookware store holds its 6th annual Holiday Baking Contest this Saturday, Nov. 10. There's still time to enter in one of the four competition categories: Pies & Tarts; Cakes & Cupcakes; Cookies; and Other - which covers plenty of territory.

As always, a judging panel of professional bakers will evaluate the entries and prizes will be awarded in each of the four categories. A Grand Prize winner will be chosen from the category winners. This year's Grand Prize is a Cuisinart 12-cup Food Processor valued at $300.

Judging begins at 10am Saturday morning, so entries must be submitted and photographed by that time. After the judging is over, samples will be available and customers will vote on a People's Choice award. Prizes will be awarded after 3pm.

Here are some tips on how to maximize your chances of success, based on several years of judging the contest:

*Use the best quality ingredients that you can. Processed foods (Cool Whip, artificial vanilla, chocolate coating, etc.) taste like processed foods.

*Don't enter a recipe you're just making for the first time and haven't tasted

*If you're submitting a pie, give yourself plenty of time to get it out of the oven and cool enough to cut before bringing it to the store.

*Cupcakes taste best the day they are made. Don't overwhelm them with too much frosting.

*Be careful with trendy ingredients. A little bit of bacon in dessert goes a long way. Same can be true of salty caramel.

*Remember that odd pairings may not appeal to the judges as much as they do to your family.

*Don't decorate elaborately unless it's something you do well.

For complete contest rules and entry forms, go here

Faraday's Kitchen Store

1501 RR 620 North 266-5666

www.faradayskitchenstore.com