In 2017 ONU E News brought you an article from John Treloar (ON 1970) regarding his efforts at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.  We are pleased to share with you the 2018 update.

Last year you may have read of my Royal Agricultural Society (RAS) jam roll disaster!  Robbed by a judge who was confused by the wording of a rule and out the back went my ‘winning’ jam roll!  The RAS Cooking Competition is tough, combative and guided by rules.  Rules covering size, numbers of eggs, shape and whether the cake was sugar dusted or not.

This year, after gentle prodding of the RAS Arts and Crafts team, the rules for the Jam Roll were tightened.  There is now no confusion across the perishable cakes category.  By helping them with their rules issues, I was rewarded with the offer of entering as many categories as I choose, without any entry fee.  The temptation was to go big, enter as many as possible.  It took seconds to realise that wasn’t so smart as all the perishable cakes needed to be delivered to the Easter Show on Day 1 between 9-12, with judging starting at 1 pm.

I stuck with my Rich Fruit Cake in the Non-Perishable category and added a Sultana Cake.  In the Perishable Category, I entered the Jam Roll (of course), Sponge Sandwich and Iced Banana Cake.  I read and re-read the rules and wrote them down.  I studied them, memorised them and stuck to them.  There was no way I could be caught out again by the judge not understanding the rules.  I thought like a judge, watched CWA judging videos and practised all categories.  The family was right in saying I over-practised.  I can’t say how many kilos of flour, dozens of organic free range 3-day old eggs, kilos of dried fruit and jars of Raspberry Jam I used in multiple versions of the entered cakes.  Mates at rowing helped devour the test cakes, the family was inundated with some experimental samples and pretty well everywhere I went I took a cake.  Meetings, visits to family, everyone had a sample.  I put on weight.  I have an index finger problem when over tasting the cake batter.  Mixer blades out and there is the finger right around the bowl – just to make sure the taste is perfect.  It always was.  Now I put the bowl straight into the sink, turn on the water and drop in the beaters.  The things you do to control your sweet tooth!

The Fruit and Sultana cake were entered before the show opened.  I was happy with these.  Good looking cakes that, from the taste testers, gave good reviews and of course, some comments that were taken, considered and (sometimes!) implemented.  

On the day of the opening of the show, I woke early, very early and started on the jam roll, sponge sandwich and iced banana cake. By 11 am I was finished and off to deliver the cakes and be ready for the judging at 1 pm.  The family joined me, along with friends from rowing.  We had good seats and were ready to go.  Sponge Sandwich was up first.  You can see your cake on the judging stand and watch them poke and prod, twist and squeeze the cakes.  Many get instantly rejected due to size, colour, air holes and other minor and major infringements.  No place in this category but a highly commended ribbon for my great looking cake.  

It was Jam Roll time. Would I be rejected like last year?  Would the judge know my number and reject the troublemaker after the 2017 Jam Roll Controversy?No.  Tight judging, a smart comment by one of the judges re the controversy of 2017 re sugar dusting and like the Sponge Sandwich, the awarding of a highly commended ribbon that partially took away the pain of the rejection in 2017.

The banana cake you ask?  IT was still on the table when the winners were announced.  I thought the banana cake was my best entry. I will write that in 2019!

I was pleased to see the Rich Fruit Cake and the Sultana Cake in the finalists’ cabinet, joined by the awarded Sponge Sandwich and Jam Roll.  Four out of five in the display cabinet was not too bad!  I felt better and ready for 2019!  Not too much practise next year, stick with current recipes, select the best categories and add one or two, possibly the Peach Blossom Cake as there were not many entries in that category in 2018!

Click here to view a video from the day.

John Treloar (ON 1970)