Amanda Vander Venter
Planning to attend

After leaving Mac, I soon realized my true calling: Competitive Food Sculpture. These ten years have been a wild ride as I’ve explored the vast playground this sport has to offer.

My first win came about in June 1998 at the Dane County Farmer’s Market 3rd Annual Mushroom Carving Contest. I know that carving a pig from a puffball mushroom seems a tad pedestrian, but I think I took it to the next level with the diorama display including the portabella and shitake forest and oyster mushroom whitewater rapids. As pretty as it was to look at, the real delight was in devouring all that fungi sautéed in plenty of butter with toast. With the taste of sweet, sweet victory still shining on my lips, I was off and ready for more!

Other highlights:
May 2000 - 2nd place in the Four Lakes Green Garlic Lovers Edible Challenge. Entry: A cat’s eye basket woven from 36 green garlic bulbs.
August 2001 - Honorable Mention in the Sauk County Fair’s Legume League Annual Match. Entry: A self-portrait in brown, green and orange lentils.
July 2003 - 1st place in the Madison Masa Society’s Visions of Huitlacoche Contest. Entry: A Christmas in July crèche of corn smut and steamed masa figurines.
October 2004 - 3rd place in the South Central Wisconsin Gourd Carving Gala. The competition is always fierce at this one, so I was proud to place with a Cinderella pumpkin Man in the Moon.
June 2005 - 1st place in the Green County Cheese Days Sculpture Race. Me, a 50 pound block of Colby, my trusty Swiss Army knife, and 7 minutes — extreme cheese magic in cuttlefish form.

2006 finds me ready for spring in the Midwest and the upcoming Southside "Asparagus as Lincoln Log" Competition. See you in June!