KC Grilled Cheese Olympics: FINAL CHALLENGE

Students met on Friday to compete to be the KC Grilled Cheese OLYMPIANS!

It really seemed to be all about the bacon. Isn’t everything? I have not yet posted what I offered my students to work with throughout this challenge, so here are some of the products that they could choose from. Keep in mind, I did ask everyone initially for a grocery list, and bought all that was requested. The money for the groceries would be recovered though Nutritious Lunch sales in the future, and the sale of the next Nutritious Lunch: The Winning Sandwich!

They were provided with the groceries they ordered, and several other supplies to choose from. They sliced and sandwiched and sautéed. They grilled and groaned (with delight) and giggled. The judges again struggled through the delectable tidbits. (You can double click on any of the small images to see it larger.)

How good does this look? Oh, yes. The judging really was difficult because every sandwich was so different by this time and so very tasty.

Good thing I had such clear criteria and an excellent marking chart. See them under the plates. We added up each judge’s scores for each team… and Drumroll (again) please:

There was a TIE! Two winning teams!

The highest scored teams from each round, oddly, tied. Below is the grade 7 winning sandwich: ciabatta bread, butter, a lot dark cocoa with a bit of cinnamon, Asian Pear, applewood smoked cheddar, and a bacon cracker on top. The judges were unduly smitten with this one both days. No one could taste chocolate, but there was something substantially different that carried the cinnamon flavour through this savoury bite.

This is the final presentation: Ta-da! Gorgeous.

The grade nine winning sandwich was toasted to buttery perfection with a mixture of bacon tidbits and spices. Interestingly, Miss B’s big sister was on this team, and had been a judge the day Miss B was challenging her round. Great ideas do catch on! And, with the cheddar and fried mushrooms, this sandwich was an outstanding hit. Both days.

There was something about the way these two gals fried their sandwich. It was very crispy, yet not soaked in butter. Light and lovely, yet laden with gooey goodness. How did they do that?

And the best part of each round, while the judges total their scores: the students taste each others creation and discuss the recipe development of each. Again, where was my video camera. These conversations would blow you away. My student are incredible and truly impress me daily. On this day, there were no tears. By the end of the day, most of the students on the two winning teams could not attend the Slow Food Edmonton Grilled Cheese Olympics. Only Jenna could attend from the grade 7 winning team. So, her partner was Bailey who had developed a sandwich that had remained in the winning circle the entire time. And. as life is one third of who you know, one third of what you know, and one third of being in the right place at the right time, Bailey became Jenna’s partner for the next Challenge. GOOD LUCK and here comes two amazing winners! watch out Slow Food Edmonton!