Food: Cooking with Wine!

Creative Wine Cookery Wins Fair Awards

Pamela Reynolds of Norwalk won first place and a $250 cash award in the Cooking with Wine competition judged Thursday, August 8, at the 2024 Iowa State Fair.

Susan Jones of Winterset earned second place and Ann Gillotti of Ankeny claimed third place.

Contestants were challenged to create an award-winning dish which featured wine as one of the main ingredients, such as a sauce, cooking liquid or marinade.

Entries were judged on taste, texture, creativity and presentation.

The Iowa State Fair Food Department is the largest of any state fair in the country. There were 140 divisions, 726 classes and over 6,400 entries at this year’s Fair. Food Department judging is held in the Elwell Family Food Center.