Friday, December 24, 2010

Iron Foodie - Now That It's Over...

Earlier this month, I participated in the Iron Foodie Contest sponsored by Marx Foods and Foodie Blogroll. I've got to say that from beginning to end, it was a blast.

First, I had to post a blog entry explaining why I wanted to be an Iron Foodie. From over 100 entries (125? 150ish - I don't remember), there were 25 contestants chosen, and I was one of the lucky ones. We each got a box with eight ingredients, and we had to use three for our recipes.

Before I even posted about why I wanted to enter, I was giddy excited about this contest, and I told my husband (who patiently listens to me blather about such things) that I'd be thrilled just to get the ingredients and to play the game.

When the box arrived, it was like an early Christmas present.The items were Dulse Seaweed, Fennel Pollen, Bourbon Vanilla Beans, Maple Sugar, Dried Porcini Mushrooms, Tellicherry Peppercorns, Smoked Salt and Aji Panca Chilies. Quite the interesting selection.

And then we all posted our recipes. Shortly after, the public voting began, and a secret ballot was held where only the contestant and sponsors could vote.

And oh yeah, it was fun! I wrestled with ideas and thought about the ingredients, played with the recipe, and finally got what I wanted and took photos and posted. Pretty much all in one long breath, just like that. And then waited. And watched the votes. And waited some more.

And then it was over, and I managed to win third place in the public vote AND I won the contestant-only vote. Wheee! I was thrilled!

If you missed my chittering and chattering about the contest before this, now you're pretty much caught up on my part of it. But if you missed all my previous blathering, you also missed the fact that there were 25 blogs involved in this. So, if you want to see all the fun, here are all the blogs (mine included, for an easy link back to my contest recipe). Check 'em out, if you have the time.

We Like to Cook!: Roman Oxtail Stew followed by Spicy Fennel Creme Brulee
The Well-Lived Life: Chinese Pork Confit Fresh Wraps with Vanilla-Maple Barbecue Sauce and Fennel-Dulse Slaw
The Smart Kitchen: Chile Cranilli Bacon Peanut Butter Sandwich & "Chee" Crab Sandwich
The Growing Foodie: Fennel Pollen Waffles with Vanilla-Chile Syrup & Maple Whipped Cream
The Colors of Indian Cooking: Chenna Poda Indian Style Cheesecake
Seriously Sassy: Spicy Gingerbread Biscotti with Maple Drizzle
Notes from the Alpha Test Kitchen:Toasted Ravioli
La Buona Cucina: Timpano di Maccheroni
Everyday Southwest: Aji Panca rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Porcini Tamale & Sweet Potato Haystack
Kate in the Kitchen: Warming Winter Soup
Kahakai Kitchen: Two Pepper Seared Ahi with Avocado-Dulse Yogurt Sauce, Porcini-Dulse Brown Rice & Smoky Lotus Chips
HyeThyme Cafe: Stuffed Pork Loin with Roasted Veggies & Cornbread
Foodalogue: Sweet, Spicy & Smoky Asian Shrimp
Dog Hill Kitchen: Cherry Pie Lattice Cookies
Cookistry: Ice Cream: Buttery, Salty, Sweet 'n Nutty
Coco Cooks: Duck Rillettes on Goat Cheese Croquettes with Black Pepper Balsamic Cranberry Relish
Chez What?: Grilled Swordfish, Poached Baby Octopus & Fresh Cured Sardines
Chef It Yourself: Salt & Pepper Salmon with Fennel & Panca Cream
Can´t Believe We Ate: Porcini, Tellicherry & Smoked Salt Crusted Standing Rib Roast
Burnin´ Love BBQ: Potlach Salmon with Umami Risotto
Bite and Booze: Seared Duck Breast with Smoked Salt & Dried Chile over Homemade Pasta & Porcini Cream Sauce
At Home with Rebecka: Tang Yuan with Smoky Hoisin in Spicy Porcini, Seaweed Broth
Adventures of an Amateur Foodie: "Blasphemous" Guanciale Fennel Fried Rice
A Little Bite of Life: Pfeffernusse Creme Brulee
A Good Appetite: Sweet & Spicy Spare Ribs

Oh yeah, I'm addicted to cooking contests. No doubt about it, I'll be looking for more to enter.

Wheeee! Wheeeeeeeeeeee! WHEEEE! Wheeee!!!!
Yum