News

Apple Festival baking contest winners announced

Gus McCall's grand prize apple pie is shown.

By Lightning Reports, Published: September 10, 2021

The N.C. Cooperative Extension Service on Friday announced the winners of this year's Apple Recipe Contest in four categories.

Categories were Breads, Pies/Pastries, Desserts (including cakes/cookies), and Kids. Winners were:
Breads:
2nd place – Roasted Apple Braid Bread prepared by Linda Stowers
1st place – Apple of my EYE bread prepared by Darcy Kennedy


Pies/Pastries:
2nd place – A “Penne” for Your Thoughts prepared by Rheta Marlene Merrell
1st place – Apple Cherry Tartlets prepared by Linda Stowers

Desserts:
2nd place – Granny’s Apple Chunk Cake prepared by Kathleen Scanlan
1st place – Apple Brandy Cake prepared by Kathy Kirchoefer

Kids:
2nd place – Nanny K’s Applesauce Jumbles prepared by Cash & Wyatt Cowan
1st place – Daddy’s Apple Pie prepared by Gus McCall

Volunteer judges were Hendersonville Mayor Barbara Volk, Henderson County Commissioner Rebecca McCall, Dara Hossley of the Henderson County Tourism Development Authority, Bold Rock General Manager Mike King, N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Agent Jack Ruff and Laresa M. Griffin of Blue Ridge Humane Society.The first-place winners in each category were then taste-tested again and an overall Grand prize winner was chosen. The winner was Gus McCall, who baked Daddy’s Apple Pie.

Volunteer judges were Hendersonville Mayor Barbara Volk, Henderson County Commissioner Rebecca McCall, N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Agent Jack Ruff, Bold Rock General Manager Mike King, Dara Hossley of the Henderson County Tourism Development Authority and Laresa M. Griffin of Blue Ridge Humane Society.

Prizes were donated by Hendough Chicken & Donuts, Bold Rock Cidery of Mills River, Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard, Creasman Farms, Appalachian Coffee Company, Hands-on Museum, Pisgah Forest Gem Mine, Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO,
A Day in the Country and Chimney Rock State Park.

Here's the recipe for Daddy’s Apple Pie by Gus McCall.

Ingredients:
2 pounds Crimson Crisp apples
2 pounds Honey Crisp apples
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 package Pillsbury sheet pie crusts
1 egg white
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Peel and cut apples into 1/2 inch thick wedges. Toss apples with cinnamon, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and flour. Melt butter in a 10 inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat, add brown sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and place one pie crust in a skillet over brown sugar mixture. Add apple mix to pie crust and lay a second sheet of pie crust on top. Cut slits in the top layer of crust. Bake at 350°F for about one hour, cover with aluminum foil during the last 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack 30 minutes before serving.