A judge at the state fair told me my sourdough was 'too sour' and it split the room

I was at the Illinois State Fair last August, entering my 72-hour fermented rye loaf. One judge said the strong tang was a flaw, while another called it bold and traditional. It made me rethink if competition rules favor mild flavors over real technique. Do you adjust your recipes for judges, or stick to your own style no matter what?

3 comments

3 Comments

patricia_king232mo ago

Man that's frustrating when judges can't even agree on what makes a good loaf. Sounds like you made a real sourdough and one person just wasn't ready for it. I'd probably stick to my own style, because what's the point of winning if it's not your bread? Those competitions do seem to reward safe choices sometimes.

wyatt_chen8616d ago

Friend of mine had a judge hate his sourdough once, said it was too sour. Guess some people just don't get it, @xena642.

xena6422mo ago

Used to think winning meant playing it safe. Then my rye with caraway got a perfect score from one judge and a "too bold" from another. Realized they're just people with their own weird hangups. Now I bake for the person who gets it, not the panel.