Familiar names dominate CWA Far South Coast Group cookery and craft competition

The most remarkable thing about this year’s NSW CWA Far South Coast Group (FSCG) Land Cookery and Handicraft competition was the consistency.

Narooma once again was the highest scoring branch in the group handicraft competition, with member Marion Cullen again winning the group championship for her entry of whitework, a traditional form of embroidery.

Bermagui’s Marjory O’Brien won the over-80s handicraft competition for the second year running. She spent six months making an exquisite quilt in the London House pattern.

In the cookery competition, Cobargo’s Debbie Fisher won the Best Exhibit of the Show for the second consecutive year.

As usual, the Cobargo, Bermagui and Bodalla branches punched above their weight for baking and preserves.

Thanks to the efforts of Ms Fisher and Lynn Lawson, the Cobargo branch won four first prizes in the cooking competition. Bermagui claimed three first prizes, as did Bodalla, with Barb Smith winning three firsts for her branch.

Bega branch won the remaining five prizes, with Stephanie Stanhope and Yvonne Cole each taking out two first prizes.

Exhibits were admired, with the precision of some of the peppermint slices praised. While the work that goes into the handicrafts is evident, less obvious is the effort behind the cooking and preserves. One woman had made the coconut loaf eight times before entering it into the competition.

The Cole family in Bega won all three prizes in the junior section, with eight-year-old Annelise and 14-year-old Meredith impressing the judges.

This year there was a new section for items made from recycled materials.

Judge Sharon Cornthwaite’s pick was a bag made by Cath Renwick of Bermagui branch. It was made with nylon from old umbrellas. That appealed to the judge because nylon does not break down, unlike natural materials such cotton.

The FSCG is made up of 10 branches across the Eurobodalla and Bega Valley shires. The annual competition was held at Bermagui Country Club on 11 March (Tuesday).

NSW CWA FSCG as a whole stands up well at the state level in cooking and handicraft.

The handicraft judge and chair of the NSW CWA handicraft committee Ruth Shanks AM said the group had a very good record in handicraft, while two experienced cookery judges from Bodalla – Barb Smith and Zara White – will head to Wagga Wagga in May to judge the state competition.

This year the FSCG competition had open judging for the first time. Instead of the judges assessing the entries behind closed doors, CWA members and members of the public were able to watch, ask questions and make comments.

The cookery judges, well-known pastry chef Nelleke Gorton and Ellice Schrader, The Land Cookery, state chair for CWA of NSW, along with Mrs Shanks and Sharon Perry, CWA FSCG handicraft officer, were unanimous that the open judging was extremely successful.

Ms Perry said it was an outstanding success. “We cannot improve unless we know what we are doing wrong,” she said.

Ms Schrader said she thought open judging was the way to go.

“I think it is important to come, not to have your cakes criticised, but to learn what you will come up against in the state competition and what we expect to see,” Ms Schrader said.

She said that at the state level there might be six entries with very little to choose between them, so it was simple things like changing the colour of the icing or using a round tin instead of a square one that could make the difference.

Ms Schrader said one area had only had 15 members attend the group competition last year, but after experiencing open judging, 60 members turned out this year.

Above everything else, CWA prides itself on being a friendly and welcoming organisation. At the competition, every winner and place-getter is heartily applauded.

Ms Fisher of Cobargo has been a member for 12 years and loves the friendship. It has also greatly increased her confidence speaking to people she doesn’t know.

“I have really come out of myself since I joined,” Ms Fisher said. “My legs used to tremble when I had to speak but now I can talk to anyone.”