Nearly 100 people attended the Wilmot Community Association’s (WCA) second annual Gingerbread Showcase on November 17.
Children, teens, adults, groups, and professional bakers entered a total of 16 eatable structures in the event. Unique designs and inventive use of many different foods including candies, cookies, pretzels, and shredded wheat were the hallmarks of the day. Each structure was set off in a woodland wonderland designed by Amy Gignac, event coordinator, and augmented with wood carvings by David Lorden, a Wilmot artist.
Youngsters who attended the event could make a mini gingerbread house of their own to take home. “Allowing kids to make a gingerbread creation of their own was a huge hit,” said Amber Gove, the WCA board member who helped coordinate this craft activity. “More than 60 children participated.”
Winners were:
People’s Choice, Woodland Gnome’s Cottage, Margaret Monto, Wilmot, $100 cash, sponsored by Sotheby’s Four Season’s International.
Best Professional: Mom’s Bakery, Brenda Poirier, New London Confections, three months membership at Hogan Sports Center.
Best Adult: Lighting of the Tree, Jessica Ferren, Wilmot, $25 gift certificate to Ellie’s Cafe and $20 gift certificate to Vessels & Jewels.
Best Teen: Teen Solstice, Emily Irick, Wilmot, gift certificate to Little Bear Pottery for a clay class.
Best Youth: Nature Walk to Hansel’s, Quinlan Ferren, Wilmot, $10 gift certificate to Morgan Hill Bookstore.
Best Group: Gingies House, Kearsarge Magazine, pizza party from New London Pizza Chef, good for three large, two-topping pizzas.
Most Creative: Train, Avery Gove, Wilmot; Cutest: Rainbow Bear Cottage, Mara Ferren, Wilmot; and Best Use of Materials: The Village, Josiah Gove, Wilmot.
Original gingerbread works were judged by Susan Nye, local writer, instructor, well-known chef, and columnist for the InterTown Record, and Steve Potoczak, principal of New London Elementary School.
“We truly appreciate the time our volunteer judges spent evaluating the entries in this year’s showcase,” said Patty McGoldrick, executive director of the WCA. “And we also appreciate the many, many hours of time our volunteers contributed to making this event such a resounding success – from setting up tables to baking pasta dishes, to selling tickets, to cleaning up afterwards – we couldn’t organize and present such a successful event without their help.”
Upcoming events sponsored by the WCA include the Holiday Craft Fair on Saturday, December 1 at the Outing Club in New London and the Wilmot Express starting at 3:30 PM on Sunday, December 9 at the Wilmot Volunteer Fire Department.
The WCA’s office in the Red Barn, 64 Village Road, Wilmot Flat, is open from 9 AM to noon Mondays and Wednesdays; 3 to 5:30 PM Tuesdays and Thursdays; and the last Saturday of each month.
More information is available at 526-7934 or on the organization’s Web site at wilmotcommunityassoc.com.