And the Winner is...

Last week Eliza, the seven-year-old next door, calls my cell phone and leaves a message. Because of a bad connection the only word I can decipher is Whoopie pie, which peaks my interest. I quickly call her back. Apparently there's going to be a Whoopie Pie baking contest at Odd Fellows Cafe and she thinks we should go. And there are going to be samples!

Feeling cocky, I say we shouldn't just go. We should enter the contest. In retrospect I'm not really sure why I was feeling cocky because the only time I've ever baked Whoopie Pies was for Nancy and she threw the uneaten ones in her garbage that same evening. (Yes, I still remember, Nancy!)

Fast forward to yesterday afternoon. Eliza and I bake two batches of Whoopies Pies. (The first batch goes directly in the compost bin because the oven was accidentally set on broil. Not a great start to this endeavor.)

But the pies seem good. Actually, very good. I make other neighbors and Mike give honest feedback and go to bed feeling confident.

Fast forward again to the morning of the event. Eliza, who has given us the nick names Chef Eliza and Sous Chef Robin, has a dentist appointment. She'll get to the event after she gets her teeth cleaned.

Clay drives me to the venue and I enter our pies.



When I say "enter" I mean take the saran wrap off my plates, poke fresh mint on toothpicks into our pies and have a panic attack watching the professionals plate their beautiful creations.

Plates of pies keep piling on and the place is packed. Eliza and I are competing against 24 other bakers.

Finally the contest begins! Our beautiful pies are butchered and served to the judges and the remaining are on display for onlookers to taste.



Aysa and Chloe came with Mike to sample and cheer us on. Aren't they adorable?

After an hour of waiting around, the judges have reached a verdict...

And the winner for Best Classic Whoopie Pie Is: Eliza and I!

Heather from Volunteer Park Cafe, and my favorite baker in all of Seattle, wins the award for Most Interesting Take on a Whoopie Pie.

They liked us, they really liked us!

Here is Eliza with our award-winning creation.



More info and pictures here.