Four finalists will take centre stage tomorrow (Thursday, September 19) to showcase their talents at the National Brown Bread Baking Competition at the final day of the National Ploughing Championships.
The finalists announced include: Martin Malone from Co. Dublin; Rose Egan from Co. Offaly; Mary Rose Power from Co. Meath; and Noreen Collins from Co. Cork.
Agriland caught up with one of the competitors and a judge at the semi-finals today to get a taste for how the competition is going and what a winning load will look like.
The competition, which is supported by Euronics, will be judged by a three way panel including: Eleanor Martin from NEFF; Thelma Burke from the ICA; and the 1973 winner Eileen Brennan from the NPA.
Speaking to judge, Eleanor Martin today, she said that some of the main things judges will be looking out for includes “nice appearence”, with an even bake, along with a good texture, and of course, the flavour.
One of the semi-finalists, Mary Rose Power from Co. Meath said that taking part in the competition is “a great boost”.
“When you have been a parent for so long, and then you suddenly retire from work and you retire from parenting because they’ve all moved out, nobody gives you accolades for being good.
“Then to have won a competition, I know it’s only a brown bread competition, and it’s so simple, but I was absolutely thrilled, because I kept getting the clap on the back instead of giving the clap on the back,” Power said.
The competition runs in association with the National Ploughing Association (NPA) and the Irish Country Women’s Association (ICA).
The finals begin tomorrow at 12:00pm at the National Brown Bread Baking Competition tent, which is located at row 10, tent 148, with the winners being announced at 3:00pm.
The winning brown bread baker will walk away with a cash prize of €5,000 and a NEFF ‘Slide & Hide oven’, with the three other finalists all walking away with a €500 Euronics gift card.