The cook-off was sponsored by the Alger County Friends of the Women’s Center, with all proceeds benefiting the Women’s Center and Harbor House.
All chefs met the challenge of the cook-off rules: contestants could not choose the country whose food they'd present, but they had to pick the country name at random from a jar set up at the Munising Library.
Wendy Irish won the main dish category with an Ethiopian crock of cabbage, onions and carrots mixed with ginger and exotic spices. Her other Ethiopian main-dish entry gave her a chance to show tasters about the cultural practices of Ethiopians as they mopped bowls of spicy red lentils with their Injara Bread used as an eating utensil. She included a visual presentation of the raw spices and beans she'd worked to find for this special recipe.
Treasa Sowa's Szarlotka, a traditional Polish apple pie topped with whipped cream, won the dessert category.
The group is already thinking about next year, with plans to bring this year’s participants back and to invite more Alger County chefs to participate.