BCHC Rendezvous 2007 10th Annual Dutch Oven Cooking Competition

The BCHC Rendezvous 2007 10th Annual Dutch Oven Cooking Competition will be held on Sunday, March 25, 2007, at the Turlock, California, county fairgrounds.

THEME: "Real Camp Cooking" with an eye toward "Realistic & Practical"
Canned & Packaged Foods Encouraged
Pre-boiled Foods Allowed (Rice, Noodles, Potatoes etc)
19th Century Costumes Encouraged but “ANY” Costume will Accumulate Points

PROFESSIONAL & AMATEUR DIVISIONS:
Children’s Competition will be Added with Enough Interest
AMATEUR Division is 2 or Less Wins in Previous Dutch oven Competitions; 1 Pot Any Dish
PROFESSIONAL Division is 3 or More Wins in Previous Dutch oven Competitions or Paid Catering Dutch Oven; 2 Pots

Main Dish must Include a MEAT/PROTEIN Ingredient & Any Dish

COOKING STARTS ANYTIME AFTER 8am

COOKS MEETING PROMPTLY AT 9:15am

AWARDS @ 1 pm
Judging Based on COSTUMES, DUTCH OVEN COOKING TECHNIQUES, SPECTATOR INTERACTION, AROMA, TASTE & PRACTICAL (CAMP FRIENDLY)
Bragging Rights Perpetual Trophy & Dutch Oven Equipment Prizes
2nd & 3rd Place Winners TO BE ANNOUNCED
Entry Fee: $20 for Single Over 18 + $5 for Each Additional Member up to a Total of 6
Must Have Detailed Recipes to Judges by Noon

RECIPES Included in Upcoming BCHC Dutch oven Cook Book

ENTRY FEE: $20.00 per team

DATE & SCHEDULE: The Cook-Off will be held on Sunday, March 25, 2007
Check in: 8:00 a.m. – 9:10 a.m. Cooks' Meeting: 9:15 a.m. (draw for presentation order)
Cooking time: 8:00 a.m. To 12:30 p.m. Awards Presentation: 1:00 p.m.

LOCATION: The Cook-Off will take place at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds, Turlock, California, in SA (Shaded Area)

CATEGORIES: Amateur Division is a ONE POT ANY DISH. Professional Division is a ONE POT
MAIN DISH and a ONE POT ANY DISH (2 pot total); the main dish recipe must include a MEAT/PROTEIN INGREDIENT.

THE COOK-OFF WILL PROVIDE: Basic fire pits if needed and notified prior to Rendezvous, for each team, kitchen facilities for clean up, judges and wonderful prizes. You may provide your own fire pit as long as it protects the ground from heat damage.

CONTESTANTS WILL PROVIDE: Dutch Ovens, culinary water, charcoal, lighter fluid, cooking utensils, all food and other essential items necessary to prepare their recipe(s).

TEAMS: Contestant teams will consist of 1 to 6 BCHC members. One member must be over the age of 18 and all others over the age of 12. Spectators are welcome but only team members will be allowed inside the Cook-Off area.

DRESS: Dress should reflect "19th century attire" but "Any" Costume will garner points.

JUDGING: Team contestants will be judged in one of two divisions: Amateur or Professional. Professionals are team members who have been paid to prepare dutch oven meals or who have won 3 or more Dutch Oven cooking events (honor system). Entries will be judged on aroma, taste, practical (camp friendly), cooking techniques, spectator interaction & costumes. Practical & realistic ingredients are acceptable. No pre-cooked items except those requiring boiling only (noodles, rice, etc). A judging criteria sheet will be made available to all entrants.

RECIPES: All recipes must be included with your Entry Form and Entry Fee.

RECIPE RELEASE: Your names, photograph and/or recipe may be selected for use by various media covering these events as well as future Dutch Oven Cook-Offs. Your entry in the Rendezvous 2007 Dutch Oven Cook-Off establishes your agreement for the release of the same and their use by the Cook-off Committee, the Cook-Off sponsors, and the media.

PRIZES: Amateur Division - 1st place will receive Equipment; 2nd and 3rd places to be announced. Professional Division – Equipment, bragging rights to the perpetual trophy; 2nd & 3rd places to be announced.

HEALTH & SAFETY: Contestants are solely responsible for the proper selection, storage and refrigeration (if necessary) of all ingredients, the sanitation of their cooking area, and the preparation of foods that are safe for human consumption. Aside from a simple rope barrier separating cooking and spectator areas, responsibility for safety of contestants and spectators rests solely with the contestants. Safe use of fires, other heat sources and cooking equipment is the responsibility of the individual contestants.

COOK-OFF COMMITTEE: Debra Mason, (209) 545-3005 and Rudy Dezzani, (209) 538-1296

FOOD SAMPLE DISTRIBUTION: In so much as there are strict laws governing the distribution of food to the general public, the BCHC Dutch Oven Cook-Off Committee and Rendezvous 2007 Committee do not sanction , endorse, or encourage the distribution of "samples" of any food to the general public. Contestants who wish to give samples must provide their own serving utensils and sample cup containers.

DISCLAIMER: Judges' decisions on contestants' scores and the Cook-Off Committee's decisions on policies and procedures are final. Complete contestant rules will be distributed to all Cook-Off teams at the Cook-Off and are available upon request.