Judge A Cook Off

Judging a cook-off is an inexact science, so don't stress about it.

No matter what you're tasting - pies, chili or casseroles - judging a cook-off is enjoyable but not as easy as you might think. You will have to do a lot of sampling that will fill you up, agonize over which dishes to select as finalists and taste a lot of bad food in the process. If you're judging a cook-off for the first time, you can take a few preparations and steps to make sure you give everyone's entry in the competition a fair shot.

Instructions

1. Note the color of the food you're judging first. Appearance is an important factor in most cook-offs, so note how palatable the entry looks. Comment on whether the dish appears bland and uninspiring or if it's plated in an appetizing fashion.

2. Take in the aroma of the dish before tasting. Note whether it is pleasing to the nostrils or if it turns you away before even putting your fork to your mouth.

3. Put your spoon or fork in the dish to test its consistency. For example, note whether a chili is too thick and gloopy, too watery and runny or just the right texture.

4. Take a small bite and pay close attention to the flavors, moving the food around in your mouth to get a full sense of the taste before swallowing. Determine whether the spices are just right or if the seasoning is off. Note whether the it is overcooked, undercooked or just right.

5. Swallow the food and note the aftertaste of the dish. Some foods may smell, look and taste good, but they leave a bitter or unpleasant aftertaste, which should factor into your decision as well.

6. Tally up the dish's scores - generally between 1 and 10 for each category - and award your final score to each dish. Some contests may have their own weighted scoring, so review the rules beforehand to understand on what scale you will be judging.

7. Keep a bottle of water with you at all times and rinse out your mouth after tasting each entry so the taste of the former does not taint that of the latter. When your mouth is fully rinsed, move on to the next dish.

8. Don't over-think the scores. There is no exact method of scoring a tasting contest, so go with your initial impression on what to score the dish with each step.

Tags: your mouth, just right, dish Some, judging cook-off