Day 79: Parmesan Seasoned Breadsticks

I got to spend yesterday at the WCC in Salt Lake. Talk about a great group of people! You won't find friendlier people than dutch oven cooks. They treat everyone like family! And the chefs competing in the cook off were so talented and creative. That is the thing that struck me most is their creativity. The flavor and presentation of their dishes was beautiful. I got to be a cook's assistant. That meant I could be in the cooking area with the chefs and I was their runner for hot water and coals. I couldn't help cook at all, but I could ask a lot of questions. I was assigned to work with Bev Shepherd and Pamela Lane. They are a mother/daughter team from B.C., Canada. They were so talented. They prepared Stuffed Cornish Game Hens with Glazed Carrots, Maple Butter Twist, and Chocolate Mousse Layer Cake. Bev is superwoman. She bakes hundreds of pies and breads every week to sell at the farmers market in the summer. She is what I want to be when I grow up! I learned so much from watching them and asking questions. Here is a picture of the three of us. Yes, that's me in the middle. I hate pictures of myself. :(

After all the food was ready and presented, the judges did their thing. I would have hated to be a judge. The food was beautiful and delicious. The best part came after the judges finished. All the cooks assistants helped move the food to a different room, cut it up, and then we got to sample every dish. The main dishes were all so different, that there is no way I could pick a favorite. The breads were amazing. My favorites were the Smokin' Love Knots, Chicken Artichoke Bread and the Roast Beef and Horseradish Cheddar Twist. As for the desserts, can you ever have a bad dessert? I mean really... These were exceptional. My favs were the Chocolate Mousse Layer Cake, Pull Apart Orange Cake and the Raspberry Double Cream Coffee Cake. So, after we ate, we got to hear the announcement of the finalists. I am happy to say that my team, Bev and Pamela, are moving on to the finals! I really hope that I can go do this again next year. Hint, Hint Ranes! It was a great day--my face hurts from smiling!

Here are some pictures of some of the dishes. My team did the Cornish game hens.

I was also excited to meet many of you; Ranes Carter (who we got to listen to all day long-I can't believe he still has a voice), Ron Clanton (go visit rogue dutch oven cookers), Dave Herzog (who taught clinics), and so many of you who follow me everyday. I also got to meet Coleen Sloan, author of Log Cabin Grub cookbooks. What an amazing and talented lady she is!! Thanks to all of you! And good luck to everyone competing today!

Now for the recipe. I was so encouraged by my success with the Focaccia that I had to try another bread to make sure it wasn't just a fluke. This recipe comes from Mark's Black Pot.

Parmesan Seasoned Bread sticks

12" dutch oven

1 Tbs. yeast

1 1/2 cup warm water

1 Tbs. honey

1 tsp. salt

4 cups flour

1/4 cup melted butter

Salad Supreme seasoning

Parmesan cheese

In a bowl, put the water, honey and yeast and let the yeast activate. Add the salt and the flour, adding just enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 10 minutes. Pour the melted butter in a 12" oven, and spread the dough over it. Cut the dough into strips and sprinkle with seasoning and cheese. Cover and let rise for 20-30 minutes. Preheat your lid and then put the bread on the coals for about 20-30 minutes. I used 22 coals on top and 12 on the bottom. Be sure to rotate your lid during cooking. Serves 6-8.

The Finished Product

The Review

These bread sticks were good. They were soft and the salad supreme seasoning gave them a great flavor. I really like the fact that they only have to rise once. It would make them easy to do if you were ambitious enough to bake breads while camping. I let the cheese get to brown on top, but other than that, they turned out perfectly! There certainly weren't any leftovers! Grade: A.