Confessions of a Gingerbread-loving Museum Curator

Greetings,

I will be honest, I am fox in amongst the hen-house here in this forum. I am many things. I'm a museum curator. A fire-engine-loving, history geek. I am single, I'm a guy, and I don't "cook" (I microwave). I eat "orange food" (primarily Cheetos - that's food right?). As my friends like to say (and to put it more bluntly as only friends can do) -- I am NOT a "foodie". Having ~me~ try to drum up support for a cooking contest has me a bit out of my element.

So I am asking you, LTHForum followers -- where do you most likely hear about a local baking contest. We are doing all the traditional avenues -- though our museum's website, Facebook page, emails, that sort of thing -- but we've heard that we are one of the ONLY gingerbread house contests in the area, and as such we thought we would try and market/promote our event to the other local amateur, and semi-professional bakers in the area.

Any suggestions, forums, ideas, ways that we might promote this event to the Chicago area (or at least western-suburban) gingerbread-baking community? We are eager to hear anyone's thoughts.

- David -
Curator (and "Chief Gingerbread Man")
Aurora Regional Fire Museum
http://www.AuroraRegionalFireMuseum.org/gingerbread

My suggestion for a place to promote your contest: specialty food stores and places that sell specialty kitchen supplies (Sur la table, etc). I'm not sure which ones to suggest in the Western suburbs.

Also, if your competition involves making gingerbread houses, you might advertise at craft stores, hobby stores, and so on. I love gingerbread myself, but am not crafty enough to build anything out of it.

You might also contact places that have baking and cake-decorating classes. I could imagine that they would be happy to see their students enter their creations in a local contest (and, ideally, win it!).

Guaranteed "Best of Show" - A Gingerbread Crackhouse:

In the spirit of Halloween- a haunted gingerbread house:





BOO!

Hi all . . . .

If you read our RULES - http://www.auroraregionalfiremuseum.org/gingerbread/rules.htm -- you'd see that it is a gingerbread FIREhouse contest.

• Rule #1. "All entries must depict a firefighting themed architectural structure, real or imaginary — IE: a firehouse, burning building, etc."

You can see some photos of last year's entries here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24464837@N ... 970320476/


Aurora's old Central Fire Station - now home to the museum (and a popular design for our contest)


Another version of Aurora's old Central Fire Station - now home to the museum






A burning building - with gingerbread firefighters wearing gumdrop helmets - created by a cub scout troop!


This school-group recreated a real FIREhouse (now a museum) in Puerto Rico


And the horse-drawn era FIREhouse (above) . . .
. . . had a fully decorated interior (below) with gingerbread horses, and shredded wheat hay!

Oh, we were just having fun....
last years entries are lovely.

Seems to me that they should be using more Red Hots.



Sorry, I had to.

Llama wrote:Seems to me that they should be using more Red Hots.

@ Llama -- I'm not a judge, but if I were, I would defiantly give double-bonus extra-credit points for using "Red Hots!" (especially if it is constructed as a "red-hot" burning building) - LOL

irisarbor wrote:Oh, we were just having fun....
last years entries are lovely.

@ irisarbor -- I didn't meant to sound snooty. I know we're all just having fun. I just wanted to clarify for the sake of clarity.... . . .

SCUBAchef wrote:Guaranteed "Best of Show" - A Gingerbread Crackhouse

@ SCUBAchef -- When I saw that "crack house" I was thinking --- hmm, maybe it's going to start on fire or something? . . .

irisarbor wrote:In the spirit of Halloween- a haunted gingerbread house

@ Irisarbor, wow beautiful job.... but is it gingerbread? it looks like it is all molded chocolate? Did you cover the gingerbread in chocolate? Hmm, that's maybe an idea for one of our FIREhouses....

dlewisarfm wrote:@ Irisarbor -- I didn't meant to sound snooty. Just wanted to clarify.... When I saw that "crack house" I was thinking --- hmm, maybe it's going to start on fire or something?

I think your comment is intended for ScubaChef.

irisarbor is a very talented gingerbread creator, whose gingerbread houses are a prize gift at our holiday party.

Regards,

Yes the Halloween house was all gingerbread-
I usually use dark molasses and some extra spices because I like the flavor, so the gingerbread is a bit darker than the kind that uses karo, or no molasses at all.
My houses are always all edible- and I always add big hits of extra spices so they are extrmemly fragrant and still actually taste good at the end of the season.
Our personal tradition is to break ours open for NY Eve dessert.

Here's a more traditional gingerbread "split-level" suburban house I did one year, complete with "asphalt" driveway made from edible black fondant, and edible stained glass windows made from crushed lifesavers. It is lit from within by a light bulb(not edible) but that may not come through in the picture.

dlewisarfm....well well welll....welcome to LTH. I hope this isn't a hit (get your info.) and run situation. Why don't you stick around and maybe we could teach you a few things...about food that is.

UPDATE: Thanks to all who commented. Now Y'all are invited to come see the finished results.

---------------

Fresh evergreens and gingerbread -- ah, it's beginning to smell a lot like the holidays at Aurora's old central fire station. The last of the gingerbread FIREhouses have arrived in anticipation for the Aurora Regional Fire Museum's 2nd annual Gingerbread FIREhouse Contest and Exhibition set to open on Saturday, November 27th.

More than a baker's dozen gingerbread FIREhouses, fire stations, and burning buildings have been specially crafted for this family-friendly event. Entries have been received from individuals, families, teams of co-workers from local businesses, scout groups, school students, and culinary professionals. This year's contest attracted bakers from Elk Grove Village, Pingree Grove, and as far away as Momence.

Contest rules state that all entries depict a firefighting themed architectural structure (real or imaginary), and that except for the base, everything must be made from 100% edible materials. The gingerbread FIREhouses will be judged based on adherence to a theme; creativity and originality; and the level of precision and skill. A panel of local experts have been recruited to serve as gingerbread Firehouse judges -- Aurora's Fire Chief Hal Carlson; architect Lane Allen of Allen+Pepa Studios; and Michelle Boyd of Good Gracious Cakes (who has competed professionally on numerous television cake challenges).

Museum visitors will be encouraged to vote for their favorite gingerbread creation in the museum's "people's choice" category to be awarded December 18th, at the conclusion of the exhibit.

A family of festive firehouse mice are back again and have taken up residence to decorate the fire museum’s main-floor exhibit “Getting There, Getting Water, Getting Rescued.” Visitors can see Cinders as he sleeps in the back of the steam fire engine’s boiler, Sparks as he tries to ring the fire bell, and Ashes as he decorates a 1948 fire engine.

The Gingerbread FIREhouse Exhibit opens on Saturday, November 27th with gingerbread judging, a visit from Santa the Fire Chief, storytelling, and a holiday mouse hunt. As a special holiday gift to the community, admission is free on opening day. The gingerbread FIREhouses and holiday displays will be on exhibit through Saturday, December 18th.

For more information, holiday hours, maps and directions, or to purchase raffle tickets for the gingerbread firehouses, see the Aurora Regional Fire Museum's website: www.AuroraRegionalFireMuseum.org