GRAVETTE -- The Dutch-oven cook off was so well received in its inaugural Gravette Days 2013 competition that it is again a much anticipated event in the 2014 festivities to be held August 8 and 9.
Considering that Gravette Days 2014 celebrates the Arkansas city's 121st birthday, the second annual Dutch-oven cook off is a relatively new event. Beginning with family reunion picnics in the late l800s, the Gravette Days celebration has evolved into a two-day affair with a growing list of diverse activities. Sports competitions, beauty pageants, auto shows, a pancake breakfast and quilt raffle, 5K run, live music, food booths and street dances are all part of the celebration.
The Dutch-oven cook off in 2013 was the idea of Allyson Ransom, vice-chairman of the Gravette Historical Museum, the organization that sponsors the Cook-off event. After learning about Dutch-oven cooking from a class at War Eagle Mill, she knew this would be a great competition for Gravette Days.
"I never knew the process of Dutch-oven cooking was almost scientific, as well as fun," She said. "Not to mention, the results are awesome," she added.
A host of hard-working volunteers help prepare for the event, to be held on the tree-shaded museum grounds in downtown Gravette. Ransom is very appreciative of everything the volunteers do to help.
"We couldn't pull this off without the volunteers who give so much of their time making sure everything goes smoothly," she said.
Cook-off categories are main dish, bread and dessert. Experienced entrants must prepare dishes in all three categories. New to this year's competition is the Novice Category in which competitors as young as 10 years old may enter.
"We want the youth in the area to be involved in this event as there is so much history associated with Dutch-oven cooking. We have added the Novice Category to include both youth and adults. Now more contestants with less experience can be a part of this fun and tasty competition."
Anyone can enter the Novice Category. Novice teams only prepare one dish instead of three, and they are in a separate prize division from the three-pot awards.
The majority of entrants are teams made up of up to three people. Entrants will compete for first-, second- and third-place cash awards which are generously donated by area banks and businesses.
Last year's first-place winner was Simply Sizzling from Fayetteville, a team that will be among 2014 entrants, along with at least nine other teams from Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.
Judges score the teams on both food and showmanship. Teams are encouraged to dress in the spirit of the old west or pioneer days and coordinate their cooking campsite accordingly. Each team must submit a recipe of the dishes they prepare for the competition.
Having fun at the Dutch-oven cook off is not only for its entrants. The competition offers a special mouth-watering treat for all Gravette Days visitors who may participate by sampling the Dutch-oven creations, then voting for their favorite to win the People's Choice Award, an award separate from the overall judging. Visitors can also sign up for the Cook-off gift raffle.
Deadline for entering Gravette Days 2014 Dutch-oven cook off is Aug. 1. For more information, call Allyson Ransom at 479-787-3971 or e-mail her at [email protected].
Community on 07/23/2014