Show off your kitchen artistry in the 2014 Arkansas Rice Expo Recipe Contest
Fast facts
- 2014 Arkansas Rice Expo Recipe Contest an opportunity to show off culinary cunning
- Deadline for receipt of recipes is June 1
- Winners of preliminary rounds will be notified by July 1
- Contest held in conjunction with Arkansas Rice Expo in Stuttgart, Aug. 1
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HELENA, Ark. -- Ingenious with ingredients? The 2014 Arkansas Rice Expo Recipe Contest is your chance to show off your culinary cunning.
“Sweet or savory, sticky or fragrant, rice is the perfect canvas to showcase your kitchen talents, whether you’re an A-lister with appetizers or dexterous with desserts,” said Keith Cleek, Philips County extension agent with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
The third annual contest will be held Friday, Aug. 1, in conjunction with the Arkansas Rice Expo at the Grand Prairie Center in Stuttgart.
“The objectives of the contest are to promote the healthy attributes of cooking with rice, to showcase the rice industry, and to advance cooking skills,” Cleek said.
The deadline for entries to be received is June 10 and winners of the preliminary round will be notified by July 1.
How to enter
“Send us your tried-and-true best rice recipe for preliminary judging,” he said. “Sit back and wait, and if your recipe is chosen among the top 10 in the state you get an invitation to prepare your dish and show it off at the Arkansas Rice Expo.”
Rice in any form must be the prominent ingredient in the recipe and ingredients should be easily obtained in any local grocery store.
Each contestant should submit a completed electronic entry form, and electronic copy of their recipe as well as a hard copy of the entry form and three copies of 8.5 x11 typed recipe for the judges. The recipe should be in standard format including the ingredients with measurements in order of use, followed by step-by-step preparation and cooking methods.
The number of servings as well as the cost per serving should also be included. Example: (Total cost of dish divided by number of servings = cost per serving)
Mail entry forms to: Keith A Cleek, AEA-EFNEP/FCS Phillips County P O Box 684, Helena, AR, 72342.
Contest rules
Each entry will be reviewed by the Rice Expo Recipe Committee and the top 10 will be selected for presentation on Aug. 1. The top 10 contestants will be notified by July 1.
Prepared rice dishes will be checked-in between 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. Aug. 1 at the Grand Prairie Center in Stuttgart. Contestants will be provided a 2-foot by 2-foot table area to create a display of their choice that may include items such as decorative linens, floral arrangements, service dishes, etc. for the presentation of their dish.
Food must be received at safe temperatures. Please refer to the below mentioned food safety publication. Dishes may be reheated after arriving. Temperature will be monitored at check-in to assure safe food handling. If food is not received at the correct temperature, points will be lost under palatability, due to not being able to taste the dish. For additional information on Safe Food Handling Practices and correct temperatures contact your local County Extension Agent – FCS or refer to the Extension Publication FSFCS82 “A Quick Consumer Guide to Safe Food Handling", which can be accessed via the internet from http://www.uaex.uada.edu/publications/pdf/fsfcs82.pdf.
The top 10 entries will be judged on the basis of the recipe and the dishes’ appearance.
Five entries will move into the semifinals. The semifinalists’ dishes will be judged on palatability of the rice and overall taste of the dish. The semifinalists will be interviewed by the panel of judges and be asked a series of questions about the ingredients and preparation of their dish. Special consideration will be given to how healthy and nutritious the dish is. The decision of the judges is final.
Winners must be present at the awards presentation to receive prizes. Winners who fail to appear at the presentation will automatically forfeit all awards.
Prizes will be given for the first-, second- and third-place winners.
The first place winner’s recipe will be highlighted in the 2015 Rice Expo Cookbook.
For more information or a complete list of the rules contact your local County Extension Office. Or visit our web page at www.uaex.uada.edu.
The Rice Recipe Contest is an official event of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Research and Extension Arkansas Rice Expo. The contest is open to all eligible adults age of nineteen and above, regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, disability, marital or veteran status, or any other legally protected status.
By The Cooperative Extension Service
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Media Contact: Mary Hightower
Dir. of Communication Services
U of A Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
(501) 671-2126
mhightower@uada.edu
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