When I was younger....

It has been years (since 1977) that I was part of the 4-H food show. Today I was honored to be a judge for the District Food Show. I really didn't want to do it, but as always, am glad that I did. Really Really glad that I did. I love 4-H. As a thank you, I received a recipe book with all dishes in the district's show. But man, things have changed.
When I was younger.......and in 4-H, the food show was different. Along with the dish, we prepared, we had to include it in a menu for the day and make sure that the daily menu fit the food pyramid as well as the exact amount of daily requirements. We also had to have a place setting that included dishes, utensils, napkins, beverage glass, and "anything that didn't interfere" with the display. The judges came by and asked questions. When they finished the interview, they then asked to be served a portion on a plate furnished by the contestant, and then they judged the taste and texture. The judges were always older women who were scary looking and usually intimidating to young 4-H members who have stayed up all night making their dish which was so complicated that no one else would want to make it.
Now.......the whole thing is the way it should have been. They don't have a place setting equipped with everything you would need for the complete meal. They don't have to hand the judge the recipe.... the 4-H office does this. There are now questions available for the contestants so they can almost plan their "speech". When the judges are finished with the questioning, they are served a portion. Want to know torture? It's all diet food...in other words, you don't gain weight on it because you can't eat it. You can poke it, squish it, smell of it, roll in it, bathe in it, and do anything you want to except eat it! You can not eat it. What is wrong with this picture? AND.....you can wear diamonds and heals, but you must accent your outfit with either gloves or be holding some kind of serving utensil. I had to sit there and judged breads!!! All kinds of breads!! Breads are my weakness! My judging partner and I joked about taking our trash sack and going to the parking lot to eat what we had, with great sadness, placed in the trash..
I told my daughter that next year she could serve cow patties (with icing) and no one would know as long as she knows the food pyramid; the patties are of good texture and are served at the appropriate temperature while she is wearing plastic gloves. It doesn't matter if they taste like poop or chocolate. Just know your business.
And the judges.....they were beautiful, non-scary, wonderful, caring women.