Chocolate Extravaganza winners announced
A gluten-free chocolate swan cake by Grateful Bread Bakery and Cafe of Bigfork was awarded first place for appearance in the professional cakes and tortes category and won the Best of Show award at the Chocolate Extravaganza hosted by the Flathead County Republican Women on Tuesday at the Red Lion in Kalispell. (Matt Baldwin/Daily Inter Lake)
The new Flathead County Republican Women’s Chocolate Extravaganza took place Dec. 3.
After a two-year break in the 35-year-old Chocolate Extravaganza tradition, an enthusiastic new group of Republican women decided to recreate the popular event.
Led by the club’s vice-president-elect and Chocolate Extravaganza chair Evie Cahalon, the Republican women solicited chocolate creations along with musical entertainment to create a festive event.
The highlight was the array of chocolate desserts displayed on tables throughout the room. Artistic bakers vied for the Best of Show and the winner was the Grateful Bread Bakery and Café in Bigfork for its gluten-free chocolate cake featuring a creation of a swan for the icing.
Winners are listed below:
Professional DIVISION
Best Of Show — Grateful Bread Bakery and Café, Gabriele Massie
Cakes and Torts, Appearance
1. Gluten-free Chocolate Swan Cake — Grateful Bread Bakery and Café, Gabriele Massie
2. Sugar Happy Cupcakes — Sugar Happy Cupcakes, Marin Blandon
3. Chocolate Truffle Layer Cake — Great Northern Gourmet, Bradley Yaeck
Pies and Pastries, Appearance
1. Bittersweet Chocolate Tart. — Vista Linda Catering, Mark Blasdel
2. Belgium Chocolate Cream Cake Grateful Bread Bakery and Café, Gabriele Massie
3. Chocolate Hazel Filled Cream Puffs — Vista Linda, Mark Blasdel
Cookies and Bars, Appearance
1. Tasty Chocolate Flag Brownies — Perkins, Craig Witte
2. Chocolate Cookies — Harvest Foods, Linda Sue Potts
3. Huckleberry Infused Chocolate Chunk Brownies — All Occasions Catering, Gina MacNeil
Candies and Confections, Appearance
1. Oreo Truffles — Vista Linda Catering, Mark Blasdel
2. Hot Chocolate Lollipops — Fiddlestix Candy Co.
Professional Cakes and Tortes, Taste
1. Chocolate Truffle Layered Cake — Great Northern Gourmet, Bradley Yaeck
2. German Chocolate Cheesecake — Harvest Foods, Dena Bozick
3. Key Lime Cheesecake — All Occasions Catering, Gina MacNeil
Pies and Pastries, Taste
1. Chocolate filled cream cheese puffs — Vista Linda, Mark Blasdel
2. Chocolate French Silk Pie — Perkins, Craig Witte
3. Bittersweet Chocolate Tart — Vista Linda Catering, Mark Blasdel
Cookies and Bars, Taste
1. Chocolate Walnut Fudge Bars — Marion Trading Company, Nancy Krause
2. Huckleberry Infused Chocolate Chunk Brownies — All Occasions Catering, Gina MacNeil
Candies and Confections, Taste
1. Oreo Truffles — Vista Linda Catering, Mark Blasdel
2. Hot Chocolate Lollipops — Fiddlestix Candy Co.
Amateur Division
Best of Show — Joyce Brodehl, Chocolate Cranberry Mini-Cakes
Cakes and Tortes — Joyce Brodehl, Chocolate Cranberry Mini-Cakes
Cookies and Bars — Katie Bollweg, Carmelita Bars
Candies and Confections — Pam Holmquist, Butterscotch Fudge
Pies and Pastries — Clarice Ryan, Chocolate Flan