- — Only one more day is left to enter the 44th annual Valdosta Daily Times Cookbook Contest, which offers $1,150 in cash prizes.

The Grand Prize winner will be awarded $300, the Grand Prize Runner-up $200, the remaining eight first places $50 and 10 second places $25. Centerpieces will be given to the third places.

Other prizes include an embellished black and white tote bag and necklace and earring set valued at $30 from Gifts from A to Z, lunch for two and dinner for two from The Green Iguana, the Creative Design Award given by David Blevins of Valdosta Greenhouses, a wall pocket with silk flowers valued at $75 by Rebecca Spriggs of Farmer’s Daughter Silks in Adel; three $25 gift certificates from Creekside Tavern, a $50 gift certificate from Fads & Fashions, a $50 gift certificate from Bishop Jewelers, a pedicure and a manicure from Nails by Chris, gift certificates from Austins Cattle Company, a basket of beauty products from Joyce Cofield of Bangz Hair Salon, five $10 gift certificates to Macadoos, and two $25 gift certificates from Smokin Pig.

A basket of goodies will be given for the winner of the children’s category.

Heather Chambers of Austins Cattle Company, Elizabeth Parr of Smok’n Pig and Creekside and Javier Quiroz of The Green Iguana will judge the 45 dishes.

New entries, as of Thursday afternoon, are Nita Reed of Hahira; and Rachel Paytee and Lyndal Webb of Valdosta.

Previous entries included Jean Godwin of Adel; Lauren Reed of Hahira; Teresa Davis and Sybil Guess of Homerville; Valiree T. Lightsey of Lake Park; Michelle Glose of Nashville, Ga.; Whitney Thompkins of Quitman; Cliff Ulmer of Ray City; Anne Anderson, Nicole Anderson, Sharon Flythe, Daniel Folsom, Bonnie Highman, Charles Highsmith, Tammy Highsmith, Diane Hughes, John McCall Jr., Vanessa Plair, Deann Scruggs, Edith Shepherd, Jeanette Stalvey and Tara Williams of Valdosta and Jean Woske of Valdosta.

In the children’s category are 6-year-old Brayden Anderson and 9-year-old Owen Anderson, 5-year-old Eden Ann Baver and Jasmine Shelton of Valdosta.

Readers in Berrien, Brooks, Clinch, Cook, Echols, Lanier and Lowndes counties may submit recipes throughout April.

Readers 16 and above may submit as many recipes as you like in each of the following categories: Breakfast Foods, Appetizers, Salads, Breads, Vegetables, Main Dishes, Desserts, and Cookies and Candies (one category).

Children 15 and under may enter as many recipes as you like in the children’s category.

Recipes which do not have the category listed will be not be entered into the contest.

To enter, simply e-mail your recipes to vdt.recipes@gaflnews.com. Include your daytime phone numbers as well as your mailing addresses so you can be informed if you have been selected as one of the 45 contestants to bring your already prepared dishes to the June 2 Taste-off at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College.

The cake decorating category features “Titanic” as the theme. The 100th anniversary of the sinking of the ship is being commemorated with the re-release of the movie in 3D. Holly Wheelis of Valdosta has entered this category.

Mark Starr, dough preparation technician at Martin’s Famous Pastry Shoppe, is the cake-decorating judge who will determine this year’s winner.

Decorators will have five hours to work, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. No pre-made decorations may be brought in. Professional bakers are not allowed in the contest, as of this year. Contestants should also have a name for their creation.

Those interested in competing in cake decorating should send pictures of the cakes they have decorated, along with their names, addresses and daytime phone numbers to elizabeth.butler@gaflnews.com.

Claire Spriggs-Marr, 2000 Grand Prize winner, will serve as mistress of ceremonies. Sandra Connell will assist at the Taste-off along with 4-H’ers Arielle Hooks and Taylor Casteen.

All participants chosen for the Taste-off will be featured in the award-winning cookbook, which is a part of the July issue of the Valdosta Scene magazine.



Elizabeth Butler is the Lifestyles editor of The Valdosta Daily Times.