Announcing the Winners of Our 2017 Gingerbread Competition!
The votes have been counted–more than 2,000 of them! Here are winners of the 2017 gingerbread competition. Thanks to all the talented bakers for making this year’s exhibit truly out of this world!
First Place
Somewhere Out There
Sophie Coyne, West Springfield, MA
“My gingerbread display pulled some inspiration from the movie Avatar, but also mostly out of my imagination. I came up with a civilization that lives in harmony with nature since that is a concept frequently ignored for the sake of progress. Also seeing rooftops in NYC covered in plants gave me some ideas for this, too. My grandma would help by lending a hand when needed in this project and helped supply ingredients and a work space, along with dinners and baking advice, for this project.”
Special Ingredients: A large majority of the project is either gingerbread or royal icing, coated with silver edible food coloring. I also used modeling chocolate and Rice Krispies treats in creating the shape of the mountains, along with fondant to create some of the colorful alien life forms. Isomalt and modeling chocolate were used to create waterways and tubes. Using special icing, I piped several flowers. Silver sprinkles and candies were used to accent the buildings.
Second Place
The Gingerbread Man in Space
Katie Pasay, Springfield, MA
“This display depicts a gingerbread rice crispies moon with a gingerbread rocket and a floating gingerbread man with a star background. My aunt Ilona Tower helped with this display. ”
We used rice crispies, wafers, gum drops, peach rings, Nerds, Smarties, M&Ms, candy corn, sugar, rice, cinnamon sticks, life savers, and candy canes.
Third Place
Starry Seuss Night by Grinch Van Gogh
Miles Santanello and Eliza Iacobucci, East Longmeadow, MA
“We were inspired by astronomy and then thought it would be cool to combine art, the stars and sky, and a little Christmas Seuss favorite, The Grinch!”
Special ingredients: Gingerbread, frosting, fondant, fudge and other little colorful edible decorations.
First Place
The Time Machine
Cheryl Barnhart, Agawam, MA
“Here, the time machine built by H. G. Wells, sits in the laboratory where it was created. While traveling in time, bringing it many years into the future, the walls of the laboratory begin to disappear and the scenery continues to evolve around it.”
Various edibles used in the making of The Time Machine: Gingerbread, Pasta, Fondant, Rice Krispy Treats, Coconut, Gum Paste, Gumballs, Sprinkles, Alum, Jelly Beans and Mike and Ikes.
Second Place
Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me
Callie Rapa and Meagan Clarke, Westfield, MA
“My grandmother always asked her father to get the moon for her because she loved it. Then, through my childhood she always had the book Papa, Please Get The Moon For Me by Eric Carle at her house. When I saw that the theme was astronomy, I knew it had to be a moon theme. My very good friend Meagan Clarke is a wonderfully skilled baker and my background is sculpture so we thought we could make a great gingerbread-making team!”
Special Ingredients: Frosting with edible paint and glitter, pretzels, mini M&M’s, sprinkles, Frosted Mini-Wheat cereal, peppermints and cookies.
Third Place
Merry Droidmas
Samantha Skiba, Ludlow, MA
“Here we see R2D2 and BB-8 with a Christmas tree.”
Special Ingredients: Sugar sheets, modeling chocolate, royal icing, licorice, chocolate candies.
First Place
Winter Wizard’s Magic Corn Farm
Chef Eric Hirsch, Mystic, CT
“I wanted to do the Winter Wizard’s castle this year. Setting it on a farm was for fun. To bring in space, we decided that we needed a crop circle (left behind by the spaceship). This led to the spaceship still being there and mini green gingerbread men (inspired by The Day the Earth Stood Still and Close Encounters) invading to see the train, reindeer and the wizard himself.”
Special Ingredients: Mike & Ikes, Twizzlers, Kit-Kat, Skittles, black sesame seed, black licorice, Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, Gummy Bears, candy corn, Harvest Mix, Mini Oreos, gumballs, candy canes, Hershey bars, Jolly Rancher lollipops, ice cream cones, frosting and lots of gingerbread.
Second Place
Baking Up Galactic Fun
Chef Janice Desmarais, Holyoke, MA
My idea stemmed from the name of the exhibit…… inspiring me to take it literally add some adjustments for traditional gingerbread house materials and added a silly twist. My sister helped.
Fondant, crushed, candies, crackers, cereals, royal icing, and of course gingerbread!
Third Place
Out of This World Magical Christmas
Berneice and Katherine Dixon, Wilbraham, MA
“Joy to the world! During this joyous time of the year, Monster and friends are shining the light of Christmas on the world. Wishing all a bright and joyous holiday season filled with Peace and Love.”
Special Ingredients: Gingerbread, frosting, candies and lights.
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