Fortuna apple harvest Dutch oven cookoff

Here's information on the Fortuna apple harvest Dutch oven cookoff. If interested in cooking along the north coast of California, contact Marvin Rutledge at (707) 764-3547. He can send additional information and an application.

The cookoff will be help on Saturday, Octover 4, 2008 in conjunction with the Fortuna Apple Harvest Festival in "downtown Fortuna, Rohner Park, Redwood Village Shopping Center and other locations around Fortuna." The cookoff is sponsered by the Fortuna Dutch Oven Society.

The event celebrates the apple-growing heritage on the coastal plain south of Eureka, which dates to 1869.

There are about 25 varieties of apples grown in the Clendenen orchard including Mutsi, Idared, Fuji, Jonagold, Bellflower, Spitzenberg, Golden Delicious and Gravenstein. At the Clendenen's roadside market, the estate-grown apples are featured along with bakery goods and local produce.

Keeping with the theme of the festival, desserts for the contest must contain apples. This will give Dutch oven cooks and bakers an opportunity to test their apple cooking skills. Why not woo the judges with your apple dishes?

Who knows, maybe Team Fogcrawler's (Joanie Hartman, Dean Hubbard and Coulton Hubbard of Eureka) apple-vanilla cream cheese cobble ala mode will take first in desserts this year, after placing second in 2006.

Dutch Oven Cook-Off Contestant Cooking Rules

1. Cook great food and have lots of fun.

2. Enter one, two or three categories of your choice ($10 each or $20 for all three).

3. Teams may consist of one, two, or three members.

4. Teams provide all ingredients, and cooking utensils.

5. Please use good health practices. Ice chests are recommended. Keep cold food cold and hot food hot.

6. You must use charcoal briquettes and all fires must be at least 12 inches off the ground.

7. All foods must be totally prepared and cooked on site using Dutch ovens as the primary cooking utensil. Sourdough starter are exempt from this rule.

8. The use of battery or electric appliances is not allowed.

9. The use of home processed foods or wild game is not allowed.

10. Gas or propane stove is only allowed to heat water for good hygiene and safe food practices. A fire extinguisher should be present for the gas and propane stove.

11. When the entry is presented in the judging area, it will be judged on how evenly it is cooked, appearance and taste. Garnishing is not part of the judged score.

12. Judges word is final. Bribing or poisoning the Judges is prohibited.