2013 Perth Royal Show

     It's that time of year.  The Perth Royal Show is on (or, the state of Western Australia's State Fair) and in full swing. A city slicker from birth, I really like attending these agricultural shows. I'm not much on the rides, games or carny hokum but I don't begrudge those who enjoy these aspects along with the endless retail opportunities.  I like the animals, the artsy craftsy stuff,  the educational displays, free food samples, free entertainment and cookery competitions.

     The Show has promised one million dollars worth of entertainment this year. Probably didn't spend it all on the police bagpipe band although I did enjoy their performance. A new entertainer this year is the Ozrocketman.  Tired of just viewing that jet pack James Bond wore in Thunderball, our guy built his own (said to be the only jet pack in Australia and at a cost of $1000 per flight) and zooms around over the audience and showgrounds on a regular schedule.  Not quite a concert but it sure does fuel fantasy in the beholders. Being introduced to Australians here at the Show is Krispy Kreme doughnuts.  I have to admit to getting excited about the familiar, even if I don't actually like the product.  And Krispy Kreme doughnuts are not my favorite, but I think to myself "why not, home has come to you!"  The huge line at the K2 trailer waiting for deep friend delights and collectable trinkets went a long way to reminding me that I really don't have to eat hip-expanding doughnuts just because they are here.

     My fans ( hi, Mom ) are doubtless wondering how I did in the cookery competitions.  I had three entries: a brandied marmalade [using citrus "liberated" from the trees outside the Supreme Court building] that my tasting board said was a sure fire winner, and two Pantry Shelf -six sample items constituting a single entry- collections of which one represented an afternoon tea (Jam, Marmalade, Fruit Spread, Orange Butter, Apple Butter and Brandied Prunes)  the other represented a light supper (Pickled Onions,  Red German Cabbage, Pickled Beets, Root Vegetable shapes, Colored Sweet Peppers [these last two mildly vinegared] and Anchovy Paste).    It was the afternoon tea Pantry Shelf that won the ribbon.  I hadn't given it much hope. Too much of the contents are simply foreign to Australian taste buds. The fruit spread I called OPAL --a very Aussie gem used in acronym for orange/pineapple/apricot/lemon, not all of which is ripe at the same time so some allowances had to be made. No one has heard of apple butter and orange butter was sure to be confused with the translucent smooth yellow spread everyone eats called lemon butter.  This is why I called my orange butter (made with OJ , rind, honey and real butter)  Beurre L'Orange.  The French judge caught on right away.  

     There was a bit of controversy amongst the group of hanging around the French judge who had made herself available for general questions about preserving and competition.  Many people (including the judge) seal their jams by turning the jar upside down for a few minutes after filling.  All of my books say this old practice is a big no-no.  Juices could compromise the seal and welcome mold by the upside down method so everything needs a hot water bath for a complete vacuum seal.  The judge insisted that hot jars, hot lids and hot contents would do the trick just fine. Why boil water for one more step? One lady said she had never heard of a hot water bath.  OK, I come from a different planet.
 
     But, I still have a red ribbon and more ideas for next year.
   

2010 Perth Royal Show finale

3rd Place Colorful Peppers

    There are some similarities between the Perth Royal Show and the Ohio State Fair: one needs to register entries two months before the event (often leaving people to enter things that do not yet exist) and that there are so many surprises.  Take my colorful peppers (or capsicums, as they are called here) four different colors striped in a jar. Looked like candy...and lost to some drab "dilly beans".

Blue Ribbon Tangy Tomato Jam

   And then there was the tomato jam experiment. I had never heard of tomato jam before last year when a friend mentioned how much she loved it. Really? So I experimented with some cheapy grape tomatoes and made a few batches, threw out two and saved one small jar of stuff that didn't make our eyebrows curl.  And rather surprising at that seeing as how it had vodka and hot peppers in it.  Looky here, a blue ribbon! And I had no idea what I was doing or that I was leading a trend. Savory jams are becoming quite popular and next year it will be a category of its own. I am quitting while I'm ahead.  
    But it begs the question, what made this right? At the Ohio State Fair, the only feedback offered by the judges is at the time of judging. Miss that and you miss out. At Perth's Royal Show, the judges write down comments at the closed judging which contestants  pick up at the end of the fair.  This is when I will find out what was wrong with my colorful capsicum confetti relish (which did not look as mushy as the other relishes) or why my gingerbread kangaroo cookies were not up to scratch.
   And because it was asked; Yes, the Quince Strawberry Jelly of amazing clarity featured in the last blog did win the blue ribbon.  The prolific prize winner named Reuben who made it is even featured in a cooking/competition book printed locally, as are other serial ribbon grabbers.         I have a new goal in life.
   Ever watch the 1947 (or even 1962) movie, "State Fair"?  Notice how everyone dresses up to go there, especially at night? Apparently that was the case here in OZ, also.  The treasurer of the Country Women's Association commented to me how dress standards have changed, "why, we would get a NEW dress to go to the Show!"  O.K. I'm having a tough time seeing the standard fair goer donning a suit and tie or high heels with a linen dress. Does a shirt with buttons qualify as dressy now? Good, call me a Swell.

   Kev is a reluctant fair goer, even without a tie. But a free ticket and the promise of free food got him there. "Only for a couple hours, grumble grumble."  And lasted five, spent gawking at squawking poultry, daggy sheep, washed & blow-dried cows and eating all free food samples that we could get our grubby hands on. (Some things are universal regardless of what you call the fete.)

Kev at The Show / Poultry

We watched some young teens trying their hand at sheep shearing. Not as easy as the pros make it look.

Learning to shear lambs

Emu  - so not pretty

What I always wonder is why do so many animals look like a science experiment gone wrong? Especially some of the birds. Maybe butt-ugly has been their best defense for ages and now celebrated at state fairs and royal shows world wide.  Ewwwww.

Fancy decorated cakes

   Now let's talk pretty. I have always enjoyed looking at the decorated cake section of the fair. The science of baked cakes is nice enough but the fondant finery draws the bigger crowds everywhere.  I have no hope of ever diverting my creativity into a frosted delight. It's just not in my DNA. But I encourage  and enjoy it from others.

   My State Fair/Royal Show is done for this year. Now it's ten months of planning for the next one.