Dianna Wara Wins 2009 National Festival of Breads

Mr. Food - National Festival of Breads, Day 2

 

 

Dianna Wara of Washington, Ill., has won the grand prize in the first-ever National Festival of Breads bread-baking competition, sponsored by King Arthur Flour and Kansas Wheat. Wara’s Tomato, Basil, Garlic Filled Pane Bianco was selected from among eight finalist recipes bake-tested at the public competition on Wednesday in Wichita.

"There are eight great breads up there and to be the one winner, I can’t believe it," Wara said. "I have 51 of the most amazing taste-testers at the school I work at, and they are the ones who fine-tuned this recipe for me. I’m so excited about going to Vermont!"

Wara’s recipe was selected by a panel of three judges, including Diana McMillen, Senior Food Editor for Midwest Living; Kansas State University Professor Dr. Mary Molt, RD; and Dr. Kirk O’Donnell, Vice President of Education at AIB International. Judging was based on taste, originality, ease of preparation, healthfulness, and appearance.

"The first National Festival of Breads exceeded our expectations by featuring eight outstanding contestants with wonderful, diverse bread recipes," said Cindy Falk, nutrition educator for Kansas Wheat. "Nearly 200 folks attended our free baking sessions and participated in the trade show. It was a great event."

Attendees contributed nearly 200 pounds of food to the Kansas Foodbank Warehouse. The National Festival of Breads was free to the public, but guests were asked to contribute a canned food item to the Warehouse.

Wara, who is married and has two grown children, will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to a baking class of her choice at the King Arthur Flour Baking Education Center in Norwich, Vt., plus $2,000 cash. Each finalist also received a $500 cash award and expense-paid trip to Wichita. The Kansas visit featured a Wheat Harvest Tour including a visit to a working wheat farm, grain elevator, and flour mill.

More than 500 home bakers from around the country entered the National Festival of Breads, which sought the best original bread recipes from home bakers throughout the United States.

Finalists, their categories, and their recipe names are listed below. To view recipes, Click Here.

Whole Grain Breads
Marjorie Johnson, Robbinsdale, Minnesota – ABC Wheat Bread
Jan Galloway, Columbia, Missouri – Mom’s Best Hearty Wheat Bread

Time-Saving & Easy Breads
Jessie Grearson, Falmouth, Maine – Sweet Life Sweet Potato Focaccia
Tanna Richard, Cedar Rapids, Iowa – Healthy Homemade Bread

Ethnic Breads
Dianna Wara, Washington, Illinois – Tomato, Basil, Garlic Filled Pane Bianco
Nikki Norman, Milton, Tennessee – Spiced Cranberry Lemon Danish

Rolls
Judy Reynolds, Bloomington, Indiana – Cranberry & Lemonade Cream Rolls
Gloria Piantek, West Lafayette, Indiana – Bacon Onion Baby Brioche