SWRI Housewives Judging Hints

GENERAL
When accepting an invitation to judge, ask for a copy of the Schedule if one has not been received. It should be carefully studied before the Show.

A judge should have the ability to word criticism constructively, not destructively. She should have the courage of her convictions, and be able to justify her conclusions.

A judge should always be punctual.

A judge should be careful to keep the same standard throughout and should not allow her personal preference to influence her.

When awarding marks it is inadvisable to give below 50% unless the item is completely inedible.

It is advisable to take the following equipment: overall, net cloth or sponge, knife, notebook, pencil and rubber, teaspoon, pencil, tea towel, calculator

ENTRIES WHICH ARE NOT ACCORDING TO SCHEDULE, OR UNFIT FOR USE, SHOULD BE DISQUALIFIED.

If a recipe is new to you check with a reliable cookery book beforehand. Don't be too hidebound - if an item is of good eating quality it should not be disqualified for a trivial thing like wrong shape of tin or the addition of one different ingredient. Remember what is correct in a college cookery book may not be the same as an equally good reference book like Good Housekeeping. Also, ideas vary from district to district and this should be taken into consideration when giving marks.

PRESERVING
All jars should be clean and polished. All jars should be opened and contents examined. Jars should be well filled, correctly covered and clearly labelled. Skins of fruit should be soft. Jams and jellies should be bright with an attractive sparkle. Chutney should be mellow in flavour, and the consistency like a good jam, neither runny nor stodgy. Contents should be protected from metal covers. For all preserves competitions and tests, screwtop lids would be acceptable in addition to cellophane covers. Jars should be sealed hot without using wax discs.

Points to be judged and suggested marks
Appearance and Colour - 5
Texture - 5
Sealing - 3
Flavour - 7

BAKING
Points to be judged and suggested marks
Appearance - 5
Texture - 7
Flavour - 8

Entries in baking classes should be judged on appearance, texture and flavour. Every item should be cut or broken even if the appearance seems to eliminate it.

Scones of all types
It is advisable to break and cut so that quality and texture might be more easily assessed. Check Schedule to see whether scones should be plain or sweetened.

Loaves
Fruit loaves should not be over-rich in fruit or fat. When judging yeast breads remember that flavour is all important.

Large Cakes
All large cakes should be evenly fired and sufficiently moist in order to keep well. It is recommended that tins should not be more than two-thirds filled to obtain correct proportions.
Rich fruit cake should be evenly risen.
Melted gingerbread should be evenly risen and any gingerbread should not be highly domed. Compilers of Schedules should state whether melted or creamed.
Madeira Cake should have a fine close velvety texture and should be moist. Citron peel is optional unless stated.

Iced Cakes
Should be cut unless otherwise stated.

Pastry dishes
Should be sufficiently cooked to give an even coloured crisp finish. There should be more filling than pastry. Sausage rolls should be open ended. It is essential that the judge removes a wedge from a plate tart. Traditionally savoury pies were decorated, sweet pies were not. In recent years this practice has continued but only in order to differentiate between the two kinds, e.g. in the freezer. Competitor should not be marked down if she has not added decoration to a savoury pie or has added it to a sweet one.
If a tart has been baked correctly it should lift easily, no matter how short the pastry, to transfer to another plate.

Biscuits
Crispness is the most important factor in any biscuit or shortbread.

CONFECTIONERY
If a weight is asked for in the Schedule the entry should comply. Ask for scales to be provided. Tablet should break crisply but melt smoothly in the mouth. Treacle toffee should be very hard and brittle and should have a strong treacle flavour with no hint of singeing. Richer toffees such as those made with condensed milk should not be quite so hard. Toffees should be individually wrapped. Truffles included in confectionery classes should not contain cake or biscuit crumbs. Marzipan for sweets should be home made.

TEAM COMPETITIONS
Be particularly careful to read Schedule specifications, giving special thought to the theme when marking for display. Note number of people to be catered for where stipulated.

19/02/2002