I once entered a baking contest. Created a tropical fruit cheesecake and if I say so myself it was gorgeous and delicious. But one entrant was a member of the group sponsoring the contest. Four of five judges wanted to give me first prize, but the fifth, the chair of the group, started pressuring them until two changed their votes and his strawberry cake won 3 to 2. One of the judges who wouldn't change his vote was outraged enough to tell me about it. We had to attach recipe and instructions, so I know the so called winner used package cake mix, supermarket strawberries the size of golf balls with about as much flavor, packaged strawberry glaze that contains no strawberries, and whipped cream from a can. Needles to say, I made everything from scratch.
I got honorable mention.
To add injury to insult, I had brought a knife so cheesecake could be nearly sliced and served, but they got one of those disposable plastic knives and hacked it to pieces.
Never entered a baking contest again.
But hey, do I get post of the year?
