ESSEX JUNCTION — One hour, a handful of legislators and a whole lot of butter — that was this year’s recipe for the Capital Cook-Off at the Vermont Farm Show on Wednesday. The Iron Chef-style competition pitted members of Vermont’s Senate, House and Agency of Agriculture against one another in a battle of culinary skill.
Just before the timer began, the “secret ingredient” was announced — the one unknown food item that each dish had to include. A wave of relief washed over the competitors when they saw a tray full of butter, cheese and milk brought onto the stage, revealing the secret ingredient to be a staple of Vermont cuisine: dairy.
As soon as the hourlong countdown began, contestants scattered to the booths spread across the Farm Show, where they each had $100 to spend on ingredients made in Vermont to add to the basics that were already provided for them.
The dish to watch out for was a “twist on mac and cheese” from the reigning champions at the Agency of Agriculture.
“They’re kind of like the New England Patriots,” said Secretary of Agriculture and Anson Tebbetts, who hosted the contest. “They win every year, and they keep winning and keep winning and keep winning. And everybody hates them for it.”
But one table over, things were heating up with the House of Representatives team, who showed their experienced in the kitchen. They even helped the Senate team start their faulty stove, as they began to sizzle butter and grate cheese for buttermilk biscuits.
At the final table, team Senate announced that “something with hamburger” would be their creation, along with a slew of side dishes. Though they have a history of losing the competition, they proudly announced to the crowd that they were going to “have a party” with their cooking — win or lose.
A small crowd gathered to watch the teams cook, including two EMTs who were prepared “in case someone cuts their finger off” — which no one did.
When time ran out, each team had to plate two dishes for a panel of nine judges, beginning with the Senate. The team exceeded expectations, with meatballs, spaetzle and a roasted beet and feta salad, not to mention an apple parfait. The senators were the only group to prepare a dessert — a detail that did not go unnoticed by the judges.
But their competition was stiff. The Agency of Agriculture made what they called “Ag and Cheese,” a cheesy pasta dish with mushrooms, peppers and garlic. And from the House of Representatives, the judges were served the flashiest dish of the night — buttermilk biscuits with smoked bacon gravy, poached eggs and roasted root vegetables.
When the judges’ votes were tallied — including scores for everything from teamwork to presentation — the House of Representatives took home the victory in an upset win over the Agency of Agriculture, whose mac and cheese came in third (last) place.
Terry Smith, executive assistant for team Agriculture, said, “There was a lot of pressure on us to keep our title. But we feel good about what we made, because it was delicious, and it was a lot of fun.”
Tebbetts said he was partial to Agriculture’s dish because it was “really cheesy.” Several judges noted the importance of butter in creating a winning dish, especially with a dairy theme. The team from the House used copious amounts of butter.
“This is an outstanding night for local agriculture,” said Tebbetts, who’s hosted the competition for three years running. “This particular year, we focused on dairy, so all the dishes had to have a strong dairy component. Everyone really stepped up to the plate and did a fantastic job, highlighting how important dairy is to the Vermont economy.”
The contest ended as quickly as it began, and as the crowd dispersed back into the Farm Show, Tebbetts joked, “Isn’t the real joy of cooking cleaning up?”