State Fair Church Cookbook Champ Wins Big Donation for Congregation

DES MOINES, IA (08/13/2019) (readMedia)-- Honey was the featured ingredient in the Our Iowa Church Cookbook competition, judged Saturday, August 10, at the 2019 Iowa State Fair.

Contestants were challenged to create an award winning recipe from an Iowa church cookbook that used honey as the sweetener.

Marjorie Rodgers of Indianola won first place and a $400 donation from Our Iowa Magazine to the church from which the recipe was taken.

Matthew Phoenix of Ankeny earned second place and a $200 donation. Rita Cashman Becker of Fort Madison claimed third place and a $100 donation.

Entries were judged on taste, appearance, creativity and recipe origin.

The Iowa State Fair Food Department is the largest of any state fair in the country. There are 166 divisions, 715 classes and over 7,300 entries at this year's Fair. Food Department judging is held in the Elwell Family Food Center sponsored by Blue Bunny Ice Cream.

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The Iowa State Fair is one of the oldest and largest agricultural and industrial expositions in the country and the single largest event in the state. The Fair began over 160 years ago and is now considered one of the best events in the nation, attracting more than one million Fairgoers every year from all over the world. The Fairgrounds are located at East 30th and East University, just off the interstate and minutes from Downtown Des Moines. Nothing Compares to State Fair Favorites: August 8-18, 2019. For more information, visit www.iowastatefair.org.