Traditional Scottish Shortbread
Shortbread is a biscuit 'shortened' by the prodigious use of glorious butter. The texture of the biscuit is crisp and snappable- hence 'short'. The term 'bread' has been used interchangeably with 'cake' for many centuries (cakes, as we now know them, derive from sweetened, yeast-risen breads), and shortbread is the descendent of the short cakes baked from the the 16th century. One story has it that Scottish bakers used the name shortbread to argue the case against paying the government's tax on biscuits (shades of Jaffa cakes v the VAT man/woman. VAT is currently not paid on cakes and biscuits, as they are deemed a necessity by UK law - the law is not always as backwards as it seems! - chocolate-covered biscuits, on the other hand, are considered luxuries and therefore are taxable).
Short cakes were made from the same ingredients as we would use for a sweet shortcrust pastry (short, again refers to the texture), with the addition of a little yeast. The yeast in these early cakes could result in an uneven rise, remedied by the baker 'docking' or pricking the surface of the cake. Some modern biscuits have kept these pricked holes as decoration. Short cakes were eaten across Britain, and many local biscuits (i.e. Shrewsbury cakes, or Goosnargh cakes) are variations on the basic recipe. Shortbread, however, has a definite association with Scotland, and the best of its type has long been an export to the rest of the country, and to the rest of the world.
Shortbread Competition
Come all ye sugar-coated, flour-flinging lads and lassies and butter-up to the Society Tent with your enteries into this years Short Bread competition.
Do you have a loved family recipe? Do you like to bake and try new things? If so, we would love to have you join the Shortbread Competition at the 2013 Games.
SHORTBREAD CONTEST COMPETITION RULES
Judging will be at 11:00 am on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2013. There will be three judges. The recipe for the shortbread is your own choice. You may enter as many batches as you wish. Good Luck.
- Submit right (8) pieces of shortbread (per entry) for judging.
- Presentation will be at your discretion--usually on a disposable dish, but feel creative.
- You may enter as many times as you like, but each entry must be in its own Non-Returnable presentation dish. Two entries on one presentation dish will be disqualified.
- Please Do Not lable your container with your name.
- Entries must be submitted at the Society Tent by 10:30 am on Saturday, January 19, 2012.
- Judges for the event will be members of the Honored Clan and dignitaries.
- Decisions of the judges are final.
- All entries become the property of the Scottish-American Society of Central Florida, Inc.
Categories and Prizes
Traditional Shortbread
Traditional recipies reflecting the regions of Scotland and presented in the traditional shapes (Petticoat, Tails, Fingers, ect.)
Funky Modern Shortbread
Let your imagination go wild in the true Celt spirit. Use of non-traditional ingredients such as colors, flavors, exotic spices, toppings, and shapes will be judged on culinary and artistic creativity. Have fun and go wild with this category.
Each category will be awarded ribbons 1st through 3rd place and you will of course have the all important bragging rights for all of 2013.
Shortbread Competition Judges
Heather McPherson
Heather McPherson is the Food Editor, restaurant reviewer and a multimedia journalist for the Orlando Sentinel. She oversees the weekly Cooking & Eating section and writes four weekly columns (food and culture, restaurant recipes and restaurant reviews) and provides daily content for orlandosentinel.com. She is a past president of the Association of Food Journalists and currently serves on the AFJ Board of Directors.
She has written two cookbooks, co-written four others and edited three cookbooks. Her most recent work is "Field to Feast: Recipes Celebrating Florida Farmers, Chefs, and Artisans." Co-written with Pam Brandon and Katie Farmand, the book is available at major bookstores and through University Press of Florida (www.upf.com). She earned a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from the College of Journalism and Communication at the University of Florida. Born in Indianapolis, Ind., she and husband Spencer Pettit live in Mount Dora.
Harrell C. Murray III
Harrell Murray, known to most of us Hal, is Lieutenant to the Chief of Clan Murray for the United States. He is also the co-founder of the Murray Clan Society of North America and served as its first president. In the more than forty years since then, he has developed a keen appreciation for Scotland’s heritage, especially its special culinary traditions such as shortbread. We are pleased that he will be able to put that familiarity to good use this weekend as one of the judges for our annual Shortbread Competition.
Rick Brown
Rick Brown is a multiple business owner, elected official, local philanthropist and lover of all things Scottish.
Rick and his wife Brenda own 4 Tijuana Flats Burrito Company restaurants in Seminole and Orange Counties, are part owners in imediaReach, a mobile advertising firm, Rhythm & Blues Entertainment, a restaurant management company and employ over 100 individuals at all levels from high school students to software developers.
Although always a fan of the games, Brenda's extensive work in Genealogy discovered Rick's definite Scottish roots about eight years ago and they have grown deeper and more extensive each passing year, finding more and more living Scottish relatives all the time.
Rick is active in local politics and is currently in his 6th year as a City Commissioner in Winter Springs. The City of Winter Springs, host of these games, has enjoyed 2 successive years of tax decrease while maintaining the lowest crime rate in Seminole County.
He and his wife are engaged in local grass roots philanthropy supporting our local schools, the arts, our veterans and children in need. He is serving his 3rd year as Chairman of the Board for Boystown of Central Florida which serves over 2000 local children and families in need each year.
He is a sponsor or the these games and a patron of the Winter Springs Festival of the Arts.
"It is an honor to be asked to be a judge at this year's event. I look forward to sampling all of the wonderful entries ! "
