UPDATE, Aug. 9 / The winners in Naper Settlement’s third annual Apple Pie Baking Contest were recognized at 2:30PM during festivities at the Hometown Picnic Sat., Aug. 9.
As easy as pie, Naper Settlement President and CEO Rena Tamayo-Calabrese announced that Kay Slocumb’s French Apple Crumb Pie, Number 5, had come in first place. Second place went to Jennifer Walters, Number 8, for her “Single Crust Dutch Apple Pie.” And third place was presented to Donna Di Cosola, Number 2, for her “Sue’s Apple Pie.”
2014 Apple Pie Contest Brief
Nine pre-registered pies arrived in the Tavern at the Pre-Emption House before noon. Beginning at 1PM, judges used a taste-by-number testing method to score every pie by appealing appearance, tasty filling, flaky crust and tasty filling with flaky crust.
After an hour, the judges got to the core of the competition and selected three of the nine entries with the highest scores to take first-place, second-place and third-place. A fourth pie received the People’s Choice Award.
During the judging, many spectators who stopped by the Tavern in the Pre-Emption House wanted to know how to enter the contest.
Simply watch for news next summer about the 2015 Hometown Picnic on the Naper Settlement website, organizers suggested. The Apple Pie Contest will be the same time next year and bakers typically can register about a week in advance of the competition.
2014 judges included Susan Frick Carlman, Naperville Sun reporter Susan Frick Carlman, Director of the Naperville Municipal Band Ron Keller and Tamayo-Calabrese, pictured here with all nine entries.
The Blue-Ribbon first-place winner, Number 5, is pictured third from the left in front of Keller. The People’s Choice went to Number 3 baked by 7-year-old Hunter Ernst.
UPDATE, Aug. 7 / Naper Settlement seeks pie bakers for the apple pie baking contest that will be held on Sat., Aug. 9, during its annual Hometown Picnic. The deadline has been extended until Fri., Aug. 8.
Bring your pies to the Pre-Emption House Visitor Center by noon on Sat., Aug. 9, with an index card that includes the baker’s name, phone number and e-mail and what type of pie (i.e. single or double crust).
Judges include Naper Settlement President and CEO Rena Tamayo-Calabrese; Susan Frick Carlman, author of two cookbooks and an award-winning reporter; Ron Keller, director of the Naperville Municipal Band; and Kevin Tyschper, co-owner of DeEtta’s Bakery in Naperville.
When music master Keller was contacted regarding his qualifications to judge a pie contest, the Naperville native noted, “I’ve been a pie eater for a long, long time!”
And Keller continued, “My grandma baked what she called a ‘plant pie,’ a rhubarb pie with great crust. I learned from my grandma, my mom and my wife, Vicki, that the crust is important. Pies are all about crust that’s nice and flaky and made from scratch. Whatever the filling—apple, cherry, peach or rhubarb; or whether it’s deep dish, regular or crumb pie— it’s about the crust.”
Entrants might want to consider that at least one of the judges will be giving especially high marks for the crust.
Click here for the flyer with all the details. Just remember the deadline to enter has been extended to Aug. 8.
For info, call Anna at 630.305.5252 or e-mail dicosolaa@naperville.il.us.
Memories of 2013 Apple Pie Contest
When the 2013 Apple Pie Baking Contest was set for Saturday afternoon at Naper Settlement’s Hometown Picnic, five individuals were slated to blindly taste for the best. By the end of the one-hour competition, the judges were keeping their eyes peeled for this year’s only male competitor.
Noting some last-minute changes, the judges—Brisa Mora, of Sugar Monkey Cupcakes in downtown Naperville; Dan Casey, owner of Casey’s Foods; Brian Emmett, winner of the American Baking Competition; Mike Krol, Executive Director of Naper Settlement; and PN publisher and Daily Herald columnist, Stephanie Penick—arrived at the Pre-Emption House Tavern to determine the best tasting filling, best crust and best appearance of an apple pie among 11 entries.
Just as the previous year, the call had gone out for apple pie bakers to register for the competition. Eleven bakers submitted one apple pie each (In 2012 there were 16 entries) in many different varieties and degrees of upper crust and crispiness.
11 Homemade Apple Pies
After reviewing the line up of 11 apple pies spread out over the bar in the Tavern, each numbered without the name of its baker and in the order it had been delivered Saturday morning, the five judges were seated at a long table. Contest organizer Jenn Edginton, Learning Experiences Coordinator at Naper Settlement, was ready to keep score.
Jessie Sekija, Museum Educator, explained the rules to determine the top three best apple pies based on appearance, crust, filling and overall impression. After she distributed the score sheets and bottled water, she began serving the pies, one slice at a time.
The judges observed the pies had several things in common: they were all home-baked in traditionally round pie plates and their main ingredient was apple. By contrast, each recipe was distinguished by a differently flavored filling, varying crust recipes and appearance.
While waiting between slices, the judges quickly determined several of the flavorful flaky crust recipes were elevating factors for better scores.
Sekija orchestrated the contest, sliver by sliver. After at least 22 bites to test the texture of the crust, tenderness of the apples and the taste of the filling, the judges’ scores— ranging from 1-inedible to 10-sublime in each of four categories —had determined the top three scores.
To everyone’s surprise, Number 7 was entered by Naperville resident Ray Kinney, Partner at Maclyn Group and President at Minuteman Press. Kinney mastered first place with a double-crust traditional apple pie entry. Number 6 with a lattice top crust, baked by Amy Kakkuri, came in second place; and Number 5, a double-crust entry baked by Sheri Kupres, came in third.
“We appreciate your help and the extra calories you ingested on our behalf,” said Nancy Smith, Naper Settlement’s Director of Learning, as the five judges were leaving to get on with their days.
How do you like them apples?
All three of top winners were on hand by the Paw Paw House porch when their names were announced by Congressman Bill Foster with the assistance of Krol.
Kinney, well known for his community spirit and good humor, could not contain his enthusiasm when his name was announced as the blue-ribbon winner. He quickly contacted his wife, Paula, with a photo from his iphone, to share the news on his Facebook page.
“When my mom was recuperating from knee surgery, she stayed with us for four months two years ago. I reminded her she had taught my three sisters how to bake pies, but she hadn’t taught me,” said Kinney, eager to give his mother a call, too.
“I remember growing up eating pie. I hail from a long line of wonderful pie masters. My mom and all her sisters baked pies—I always loved pie.”
Kinney went on to say that he and his mother baked a pie just about every day during her stay.
“I baked an apple pie to enter this contest last year, but I used a store-bought crust,” Kinney explained. “When John McConnaughey stopped by and saw the baked pie sitting on our kitchen counter, he told me I couldn’t enter without making the crust from scratch. So we ate that pie.”
Never an apple-knocker, Kinney said that during the past year he has tried to perfect homemade pie crust.
Considering today’s award and the judges’ familiarity with Kinney, Krol wants it to be perfectly clear that the pie contest is a blind test by number.
“Contrary to popular opinion, Kinney won first place fairly in the pie baking contest,” said Krol. “The contest is judged through blind luck— and Ray should thank his mom.”
When Edginton announced Number 7/Ray Kinney as the winner, she told the judges that Kinney had wanted to enter under an assumed name—perhaps Martin Mitchell or Joe Naper—but thought better of it.
With his blue ribbon pinned to his shirt, Kinney said he also had considered entering under the name of “Amanda Hugginkiss.”
Photos by PN / Stephanie Penick
EDITOR’S NOTE: For more information about Naper Settlement, Settlement Sundays, Naper Nights and other seasonal events, visit www.napersettlement.org. Naperville’s spacious outdoor history museum is located on 12 acres along Aurora Avenue with an entrance via the Pre-Emption House at 523 S. Webster Street.
Aug. 11, 2013 / One more thing: Due to a family commitment, Mayor A. George Pradel was unable to judge as previously planned. When Dan Casey observed that more than half was leftover of the 1st Place, 2nd Place and 3rd Place pies, he suggested giving the prized pies to the Mayor’s family. Next Nancy Smith filled Ray Kinney’s pie plate with portions of the two other award-winning samples to make the pie appear whole again and the delicious desserts were dropped off at the Mayor’s house.
