Baking competitions heat up the kitchen at the State Fair

FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn (KMSP) - The pure allure of the Fair is probably the food. It is a place where you can eat yourself silly.

But when it comes to the best of the best food -- you can only look, just don’t touch or eat because they are the contest winners. 

In the community of Minnesota baking, April Weinreich has been entering contests since 1994 and has been a frequent winner.

She wins for almost everything; for her braided bread, for her chocolate cake, and many, many other of delectable treats.

The judges who oversee these contests are all food professionals. They are people like Mary Batz who worked in a corporate test kitchen.

"It can be a daunting task, we have some very fine bakers in this state," Batz said of the competitors.

And as many as 60 people can enter in one category alone, so for the judges, that can be a lot of cake to eat.

“Winning first place is a big deal, it's a huge deal, competitors are very modest and they are very excited when they get a placing," Batz said.

April is pretty modest. 

"It's just a fun thing, it's not just about what I win it's about the friends I make here and I like to see the first time bakers bringing their pies in," Weinreich said.

And in a place that's all about food, it's good to put a few dishes up on a pedestal.

But for Weinreich, it’s more about the experience.

"I wish everyone would try to enter something at the state fair because it really is a great time."