Week of November 26: Annual Holiday Competition

Every year during the Holiday season, our friends, the Whitemans, host a competition. It started as a gingerbread house competition but has evolved into a cooking competition over the years. As you all may recall, I was gloriously crowned as the champion last year. Last year, there was only one overall winner (me!) but this year, the competition was split into 2 categories... appetizers and desserts. I naturally decided to defend my title and entered the appetizer group while Andrea elected to enter the dessert group.

The history of the Annual Holiday Competition is riddled with scandals, conspiracy, politics and down right cheating. I think last year was the only year that I can sincerely say was truly fair and just. Unfortunately, the ghosts of the wicked past returned this year to pass unfair judgements against Andrea and I. Yes, Andrea and I, the model cooking purists, became this years innocent victims of the cut throat world of the Annual Holiday Competition. So this year, under the dark cloud of controversy, Ed's Fancy Meat Toasties was "chosen" as the best appetizer over my Hainese Chicken Balls and Sharon's Canele was "selected" over Andrea's Profiteroles as the best dessert. I could go on and on with factual evidence and analysis of the unjust rulings but Andrea and I have gone past beyond that. Some may even say that Andrea's and my maturity and sportsmanship are only exceeded by our culinary creativity and skills. Actually, we're still bitter that we lost. Congratulations to Ed and Sharon. Enjoy your victory... we will crush you both next year!!!!

Ed's Fancy Meat Toasties (left) vs. my Hainese Chicken Balls (right).

Sharon's Canele (left) vs. Andrea's Profiteroles (right).

Ed's tribute to "the man" (left). Ed and Sharon, the winners (right)!

Here "the gang" are caught conspiring.

The night really got wild after the competition. There is a reason why it is illegal for doctors to operate after drinking a few Maker's and ginger ale.