Sellout crowd celebrates chocolate fun

The 31st annual Flathead County Republican Women’s Chocolate Extravaganza was held Wednesday to a sold-out crowd of 480 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Kalispell.

People from across Flathead and Lake counties donated their finest chocolate cakes, cookies and candies to be judged in either amateur or professional categories.

The professional winner for Best of Show was Chocolate Terrarium by Joyce Dye, proprietor and creator of Just Desserts. This is her second time winning the coveted award. Dye has placed in other categories in previous Chocolate Extravaganzas.

Best of Show winner in the amateur category was Winter Bliss Cupcakes by Amy Regier, a first-time competitor.

The Republican Women’s Chocolate Extravaganza is a popular event that occurs on the first Wednesday in December each year.  

Here are this year’s results:

PROFESSIONAL

Best in Show: Chocolate Terrarium by Just Desserts

Cakes and Tortes Appearance

1. Twilight in the Wood — Albertsons

2. Chocolate Terrarium — Just Desserts

3. Chocolate Cake — Harvest Foods

Cakes and Tortes Taste

1. Donut Tree — Super 1 Foods, Kalispell

2. Peppermint Chocolate Cheesecake — Hilton/Blue Canyon

3. Huckleberry Chocolate Cheesecake — Tamarack Brewing

Pies and Pastries Appearance

1. Donut Tree — Super 1 Foods, Kalispell

2. Holiday Chocolate Pie — Perkins

3. Chocolate Tiramisu Cannolis — Hilton/Blue Canyon

Pies and Pastries Taste

1. Chocolate Cream Pie — Sykes’

2. Chocolate Eclairs — Perkins

3. Donut Tree — Super 1 Foods, Kalispell

Cookies and Bars Appearance

1. Decorated Shortbread Cookies — Super 1 Foods, Kalispell

2. Chocolate Shortbread Cookies — Super 1 Foods, Whitefish

3. Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Bacon Turtle Cookies, Sykes’

Cookies and Bars Taste

1. Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Bacon Turtle Cookies, Sykes’

2. Decorated Shortbread Cookies — Super 1 Foods, Kalispell

3. Chocolate Chip Cookies — Perkins

Candy and Confections Appearance

1. Irish Cream Truffle Fudge — Vista Linda Catering

2. Pecan Pie Truffles — Sykes’

3. Fudge White and Chocolate — Super 1 Foods, Kalispell

Candy and Confections Taste

1. Fudge White and Chocolate — Super 1 Foods, Kalispell

2. Irish Cream Truffle Fudge — Vista Linda Catering

3. Chocolate Covered Cherries — Vista Linda Catering

AMATEUR

   Best in Show: Winter Bliss Cupcakes by Amy Regier

Cakes and Tortes Appearance

1. Winter Bliss Cupcakes — Amy Regier

2. Mississippi Mud Cheesecake — Joyce Atherton-Polish

3. Black Tie Affair — Amy Regier

Cakes and Tortes Taste

1. Chocolate Amaretto Cake, Jolene Regier

2. Chocolate Espresso Pie with Raspberry Sauce — Dee Boon

3. Mississippi Mud Cheesecake — Joyce Atherton-Polish

Pies and Pastries Appearance

1. Velvety Chocolate Butter Pecan Pie — Donna Danz

2. German Chocolate Pie — Donna Danz

3. Caramel Pecan Pie, Adele Krantz

Pies and Pastries Taste

1. Velvety Chocolate Butter Pecan Pie — Donna Danz

2. Caramel Pecan Pie — Adele Krantz

3. German Chocolate Cake — Donna Danz

Cookies and Bars Appearance

1. Santa’s Reindeer — Donna Danz

2. Chocolate Orange Crinkle Cookies — Heidi Roedel

3. Chocolate Spritz Cookies — Leonard and William Falk

Cookies and Bars Taste

1. Chocolate Cranberry Bars — Toot Sward

2. Egg Nog Thumbprint Cookies — Sue Waggener

3. Magic Turtle Bars — Adele Krantz

Candy and Confections Appearance

1. Peanut Butter Chocolate Fudge — Donna Danz

2. Oreo Turtles — Sue Waggener

3. Chocolate Cherry Cordials — Mary Louise Peters

Candy and Confections Taste

1. Peanut Butter Chocolate Fudge — Donna Danz

2. Oreo Truffles — Sue Waggener

3. Chocolate Cherry Cordials — Mary Louise Peters

— By Lynda Collins