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2007 SIMPLY MANISCHEWITZ COOK-OFF
The Simply Manischewitz Cook-Off Finals was
held on February 1, 2007 at Times Square, New York City Marriott
Marquis.
The Grand Prize Winner was our very own CCC'er Candy McMenamin.
This
was the first-ever Simply
Manischewitz Cook-Off and it had over 1,000 entries, which they felt was
very good for a first-time cook-off and they were amazed at the
variety of entries, new ways of preparing kosher traditional foods,
and the variety of places entries came from! Manischewitz, GE, and
Bender Hammerling Group (the PR agency) were extremely helpful and
went out of their way to make all the contestants feel comfortable.
Six had earned the chance to go to New York for the
finals
The first of three semi-finals was for the New Jersey Region
Semi-Finalists held on October 26, 2006 at
the Newark Airport Hilton.
The second of three semi-finals was for
the Florida Region Semi-Finalists held on November 9, 2006 at Ft.
Lauderdale Marriott North Hotel.
The third of three semi-finals was for the
California Region Semi-Finalists held on December 14, 2006 at Hilton
Orange County/Cost Mesa.
Thanksgoes to:
Lesley Pew (NJ Region) Candy McMenamin (Florida Region) Michaela Rosenthal (CA Region & Finals)
for some great pictures and helpful words.
All contestants with kosher
cook book author Susie Fishbein
Anna, Michaela & Candy
Candy and Michaela
Some of the desserts sent to
our table at OLIVES courtsey
of Todd English **
The BIG winner, Candy with her trophy
Todd English with Anna,
Michaela & Candy **
** As a footnote to Todd
English's picture above, forum poster Michaela said this:
"At dinner
(OLIVES) we spotted Todd English himself and asked our waiter to send him over.
Not only did he come but took pictures w/ us and spent a good 15 minutes talking
to us about CCC and what we "do".
Well...then the dishes started appearing....many different (unusual) appetizers,
a few main dishes and even 5 or 6 platters of desserts. He was so generous I
cannot even tell you. And ladies....he is so handsome, all five of us (including
Candy's mom and my girlfriend Kathleen) were a wee bit weak in the knee. Yowzer!!!!"
New Jersey Region Semi-Finals
Lesley Pew proudly shows
her entry for the camera prior
to submission to the judges.
Kathy Nasano, listens
intently to a judge's comment
Prep table prior to the contest
(Manischewitz inked out labels on
hot sauce and chopped tomatoes)
The same prep table after entries
were submitted....what a mess!
The Orange Glaze Chicken
entry looked interesting . . .
but Lesley's Jambalaya entry
was
causing competitor hunger pains
Brand new GE stoves lined the
walls of the contest room
Florida
Region Semi-Finals
Candy
presents her winning dish
Candy preparing
her Sweet
Potato Encrusted Chicken
Vivian
talking to the MC about
her station as she prepares
her Speckled Hummus
CCC'ers Candy
McMenamin
and Vivian Levine
Group picture
of Florida Region semi-finalists
California
Region Semi-Finals
Our
Michaela almost fell
off the stage...yikes!
Michaela with
Rabbi Nathanson
and Rabbi Horowitz
Michaela
(recipe: Whitefish and
Potato Knish ) and second winner,
Andrea Bloom (recipe: Pea and
Fennel Soup) along with all of the judges
