Food - Our Iowa Church Cookbook Favorites

Church Cookbook Recipes Win State Awards

Contestants in the Our Iowa Church Cookbook Favorites competition judged Saturday, August 12, at the 2023 Iowa State Fair, were challenged to create an award-winning sweet baked item whose recipe comes from an Iowa church cookbook.

Linda Torgeson of Radcliffe won first place and $400 for the kitchen fund of the church from which the recipe came.

Nicki Studer of Indianola earned second place and $200 to the recipe’s church of origin. Sarah Olson of Des Moines claimed third place and $100 to the recipe’s church of origin.

Entries were judged on taste, appearance, creativity and recipe origin description.

The Iowa State Fair Food Department is the largest of any state fair in the country. There are 138 divisions, 695 classes and over 6,800 entries at this year’s Fair. Food Department judging is held in the Elwell Family Food Center.