Cook of the Year 2008

Canadian Living's Cook of the Year 2008 is now closed. Good luck to all who entered!

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Q. In the Category & Must-Picks section, you list ingredients and state “you must enter your recipe in ONE of the following categories and use at least one ingredient, in any amount, from the list for that category.” What happens if I want to use ingredients from more than one category?

A. You must choose one category (either Beef, Pork, Lamb or Veal; Chicken, Turkey or Duck; Fish or Shellfish; or Vegetarian Protein) to enter your recipe in. Then, you may use as many ingredients in whatever amount you want from that category only. If you also wish to use one or more ingredients from another category, it/they must be counted as one or more of your four Wild Cards.

Please Note: If you are using more than one meat or protein listed in Category & Must-Picks, make sure your entry form is clearly marked with the category that you are entering. Also, make sure that it is the appropriate category for your dish. For example, you should use a larger amount of the Category & Must-Pick ingredient than any Wild Card ingredients. That means that a Beef Chili recipe with kidney beans would be best suited to the Beef, Lamb, Pork & Veal category (because it is obviously not vegetarian), while Paella with Shellfish and Pork Sausage would be best as a Fish & Shellfish entry (because a larger amount of shellfish is used than sausage). While entrants must choose their own category, The Canadian Living Test Kitchen reserves the right to move an entry into a different category than the one entered if they think it is better suited to that category.

Q. What are convenience products? Can I use my favourite brand of salsa?

A. Convenience products are food products that are ready to use (such as bottled salad dressings, pizza and pasta sauces, deli-cooked chickens, soup mixes, frozen bread dough or mixes, etc.). The Canadian Living Cook of the Year Contest is looking for “made from scratch” recipes. That means purchased salsa is considered a convenience food and is not allowed. However, you can make your own fresh salsa, but have to count all the ingredients in your recipe.

Q.  May I use bread or buns from a bakery as a “Wild Card” ingredient or must I make my own?

A. Yes. Because of the time limit, you can use bread or buns from a bakery as one of your Wild Cards. However, you cannot use bread or dough-style convenience products (such as unbaked refrigerator rolls, fresh or frozen pizza dough, pre-made crusts, biscuit or bread mixes, etc.). However, you can make your own bread or buns if it can be done in the three-hour time limit and using the limited number of ingredients provided on the entry form.

Q.  Is it mandatory that my recipe use four Wild Cards? Would two be acceptable?

A. Any number up to and including four is allowed. Don’t forget – you’re pulling out all the stops to impress our judges, so you may want a garnish or a little something extra to dress up the plate and give you an edge. The day of the cook-off, only the ingredients in your recipe will be allowed.

Q.  Under Grocery Cart, you list “mushrooms: fresh or dried of any kind.” Does this mean I can only use only fresh or only dried, or can I use a combination?

A. You can use either fresh or dried or a combination of both.

Q. If the main dish were to be served on or with rice/pasta, would rice/pasta be considered a Wild Card ingredient?

A. Yes. If your dish is a sauce-based entree (such as a pasta or curry sauce) it should also include pasta or rice as a base for the dish, and the pasta or rice will count as one of your Wild Card ingredients. If you choose to jazz up your pasta or rice (such as buttered noodles or rice pilaf), the ingredients for this side dish need to be included in the overall ingredients allowed in the Grocery Cart and Wild Cards sections.

Q. Can I e-mail my application entry form?

A. No. All entries must come in by mail and be accompanied by an entry form (which lists the ingredients and category that you are entering). To print off a copy of the entry form click on the Cook of the Year 2008 link on Page 1 of this article.The address is in the March 2008 issue of Canadian Living Magazine. Here it is again:

Cook of the Year Contest
c/o Canadian Living Magazine
P.O. Box 7750, Stn. B
Toronto ON
M2K 2Z9

Cook of the Year 2008 Rules and Regulations on next page.