King Arthur Flour and Kansas Wheat Announce Finalists in National Festival of Breads™
Congratulations to Dianna Wara of Washington, Illinois, who had the winning recipe in the first ever National Festival of Breads! Check out her recipe for Tomato, Basil, Garlic Filled Pane Bianco, plus recipes from all of the finalists below.
View the award-winning recipes »
We received more than 500 entries to the first-ever National Festival of Breads bread-baking competition. Finalists, special award winners, and honorable mentions have been selected by a panel of ten technical judges and twenty-three test bakers. Thanks to everyone who entered, congratulations to those noted below, and happy baking to everyone!
The Finalists!
- Whole Grain Breads
- Marjorie Johnson, Robbinsdale, Minnesota – ABC Wheat Bread
- Jan Galloway, Columbia, Missouri – Mom’s Best Hearty Wheat Bread
- Time-Saving & Easy Breads
- Jessie Grearson, Falmouth, Maine – Sweet Life Sweet Potato Focaccia
- Tanna Richard, Cedar Rapids, Iowa – Healthy Homemade Bread
- Ethnic Breads
- Dianna Wara, Washington, Illinois – Tomato, Basil, Garlic Filled Pane Bianco
- Nikki Norman, Milton, Tennessee – Spiced Cranberry Lemon Danish
- Rolls
- Judy Reynolds, Bloomington, Indiana – Cranberry & Lemonade Cream Rolls
- Gloria Piantek, West Lafayette, Indiana – Bacon Onion Baby Brioche
Each finalist receives airfare to and accommodations in Wichita, Kan., to participate in national competition events June 15-17, 2009.
Finalists will bake-test their recipes on site in Wichita on Wednesday, June 17, 2009. Judging will be based on taste, originality, ease of preparation, healthfulness, and appearance. In addition, each finalist will receive a $500 cash award, as well as a Wheat Harvest Tour and a visit to a working Kansas wheat farm, grain elevator, and flour mill.
One Grand Prize Winner chosen in Wichita will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to a baking class of her choice at the King Arthur Flour Baking Education Center in Norwich, Vt., plus $2,000 cash.
Special award winners
- Cranberries
- – Kristi O’Connor, Ankeny, Iowa – Cranberry Hoska Twists
- Cheese
- – Nikki Norman, Milton, Tennessee –Spiced Cranberry Lemon Danish
- Nuts
- – Robin Haas, Cranston, Rhode Island – Whole Wheat Rosemary Walnut Rolls
- Raisins
- – Ann Walper, Lancaster, Tennessee – Ann’s Raisin Banana Bread
- White Whole Wheat Flour
- – Marjorie Johnson, Robbinsdale, Minnesota – Lemon Coconut Twists
Honorable mentions
- Marlys Schuster, Mitchell, South Dakota – Three Flour Bread
- Lois Dowling, Tacoma, Washington – Saffron Orange Challah
- Evelyn Pate, Pike Road, Alabama – Whole Wheat Sausage Pizza Wheels
- Mary Allen, Troy, Ohio – Apricot Almond Twists
In the national media...
We’re thrilled to see our National Festival of Breads getting attention in the national media. One of our finalists was even featured recently on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno! Stay tuned - the winner of the first-ever National Festival of Breads will be announced on June 17.
