Dutch-oven cook off event doubles number of entries

Photo by Susan Holland Keneth Callaway and Zane White, a pair of high school juniors from Sarcoxie, Mo., were the first-place team in the novice division at Saturday’s second annual Gravette Day Dutch-oven cook off. They won $30 for their entry of pot roast with kale and sweet potatoes. Here they display a plateful of stuffed mushrooms they were offering earlier in the day.
Photo by Susan Holland Keneth Callaway and Zane White, a pair of high school juniors from Sarcoxie, Mo., were the first-place team in the novice division at Saturday’s second annual Gravette Day Dutch-oven cook off. They won $30 for their entry of pot roast with kale and sweet potatoes. Here they display a plateful of stuffed mushrooms they were offering earlier in the day.

Eight teams entered the second annual Dutch-oven cook off at this year's Gravette Days, doubling the number from last year's inaugural event. Eighteen total cooks prepared a total of 20 recipes in the competition sponsored by the Gravette Historical Museum. Experienced teams cooked three dishes and entrants in the novice category prepared only one.

The People's Choice Award was won by Barnyard Cooks, the team of Reba Moore and Dyanna Moyer from Lincoln. They were awarded a 16-inch cast iron Dutch oven donated by Cabela's in Rogers. The Barnyard Cooks team was also named first place overall winner and received a $150 prize as well as medals for first in the dessert category, with their specialty buttermilk caramel cake, and first in the main dish category.

Second place overall winner of $100 was won by the Backyard Bakers, Randall Lewis, Amanda Brom and Nancy Kirkner from Fayetteville and West Fork. They also won a medal for first place in the bread category with their fabulous cinnamon bread.

Third place overall winner was the Swifty Creek Cookers, Scott McKay and Curtis Feather of Sarcoxie, Mo., with their amazing crown roast. The Sarcoxie team also won medals for second place in the dessert category and third place for their bread.

First place in the novice division was the Wenger Creek Cookers, the team of Keneth Callaway and Zane White, a pair of high school juniors from Sarcoxie, Mo. They won the $30 prize for their pot roast with sweet potatoes and kale. This was the boys' first time to enter a competition and they gave credit to the Swifty Creek Cookers, who encouraged them in their effort.

Second place honors in the novice division went to Hamilton Roost, the team of Roberta and Bill Hamilton from Rocky Comfort, Mo. They received $20 for their French ratatouille, a stew made with vegetables from their home garden.

Other winners included the DC10s, a local team from Gravette composed of Jose Mendoza, Mary Snook and Fred Overstreet, who earned a second place medal in showmanship and the third place medal in desserts.

Seven volunteers served as judges, including a secret judge for "showmanship in the field." Allyson Ransom, event organizer, thanked the judges as well as the 21 sponsors who donated raffle prizes and money for awards and the many museum volunteers who helped make the event a success.

Community on 08/13/2014