Bennison's Bakery Congratulates
The 2008 California Raisin Bread Contest Grand Prize Winner
Luminita Cirstea
A total of 20 eager professional bakers from across the U.S. gathered in the kitchen laboratories at the American Institute of Baking International (AIB) in Manhattan, Kansas on Friday and Saturday, October 10th and 11th as finalists in America’s Best Raisin Bread Contest. The contest was the First Annual event sponsored by the California Raisin Marketing Board (CRMB). The purpose of the contest is to discover the best California Raisin Breads in North America
The contestants prepared an amazing array of Raisin Breads which were then evaluated for their appearance, taste, texture and value to the consumers. Bakers were also judged for their creativity in the look of the finished products, the use of ingredients, and for their skills in the efficiency and professionalism exerted in preparing their breads.
The judges determined that there were two equally deserving winners in the Artisan category and thus awarded Grand Prizes to Luminita Cirstea of Bennison’s Bakery in Evanston, Illinois for her Raisin Rye Bread and to Lionel Vatinet of LaFarm Bakery in Raleigh, North Carolina for his Raisin Vanilla Bean Torsade . Larry Lobe of Dawn Foods in Phoenix, Arizona won the Judges Prize for his California Raisin Harvest Bread, and Idea Prizes went to Anthony Sapia of Gemelli’s Bakery in State College, Pennsylvania for his Breakfast in BrEaD and to Michael Vande Walle of Uncle Mike’s Bakery Shoppe near Green Bay, Wisconsin for his Cinnamon Raisin Walnut Bread.
Bennison's will have Lumi's Grand Prize winning Raisin Rye bread available in the store every day for $5.49 per loaf.
