Creative cooks shine at Redcliffe Show

There’s a category for everyone, from experienced cooks to novices, in the Redcliffe Show Cookery competition and Chief Steward Noeleen Sharpe is hoping for a bumper year of entries.

The 75^th annual Redcliffe Show is on June 28, 29 and 30 at Redcliffe Showgrounds, offering an array of competitions for the community to enter.

These include horticulture; schoolwork; arts, crafts and photography; needlework; woodcraft; cookery; and honey.

Noeleen says there has been a resurgence in cookery section entries since the end of COVID-19 shutdowns.

Last year, there were 170 entries from adults and 43 from school-aged children, as well as 91 bottles of jam.

“This year, we have school holidays again so we’re going to get a few more. We find entries are better on school holidays because the kids have got more time to prepare,” she says.

Among those will be a large contingent from North Lakes State Secondary College who have been entering the show’s competitions regularly, including for cake decorating.

“Some of it is really good. These are kids that really enjoy doing that kind of thing,” Noeleen says.

The cake decorating category is hotly contested at the show, particularly among members of the Peninsula and District Cake Decorators Association, with glory and bragging rights at stake.

Annual tradition

Long-time members Gloria Johnson, Ailsa McHugh and Pam Stanley are looking forward to entering their work again this year.

Gloria is a founding member of the group and has experience as a judge.

“I’ve done it for 40 years and it’s taken me all around Australia and overseas as an interest and I have won prizes at national competitions. I’ve visited nearly every state in Australia through seminars. It’s been my whole life,” Gloria says.

“I just love it because it creates peace of mind with me somehow. When I was younger. I worked from home and did wedding cakes and everything for the whole neighbourhood.”

Pam and Ailsa enjoy the camaraderie of the group and the friendships made among members.

The Peninsula and District Cake Decorators Association meets on the fourth Saturday of the month at 1pm at Redcliffe Showgrounds. Anyone interested in finding out more is welcome to come along to a meeting.

These often include demonstrations, so members can learn new skills, and there is always a lovely afternoon tea.

Anyone wanting to enter competitions in this year’s Redcliffe Show Cookery section can find out more at redcliffeshow.com