COMPETITOR

Bacon Buergers

HEAD COOK: Darlene Buerger

COMPETITION: World Sandwich Championship

QUALIFYING EVENT: World Sandwich Championship

Ten years ago, my sisters and I started entering cooking contests at the Arizona State Fair. It became a family affair and before long, my children and her children were competing as well. We entered every year and those ribbons and aprons were valued and worn with great pride. The first year I won a 3rd place ribbon in the C&H cookie contest. I continued to improve and in 2007 my 1st place win in the Arizona State Fair “SPAM” contest went on to win the “National SPAM Championship” contest. It is still the award I am most proud of. About 2 years ago, I discovered on-line cooking contests and decided to try my luck. I have been very fortunate to have won a few, lost many but I have learned along the way. I won the “Highbush Blueberry Council” blogger contest and “Naturipe Strawberry Spring Cleaning” contest. I was a finalist in the “Eggland’s Recipe” contest and the Taste of Home “Tournament of Taste” contest. Two years in a row I won a salsa contest sponsored by Macayo’s restaurant and had my salsa featured on their summer menu. I really enjoy creating new recipes or putting a new twist on an old recipe. My husband is my taste tester and my best critic. He has had to listen to endless ideas about recipes and taste many that would have been best left to wonder about. We have been married 34 years and enjoy traveling. I look forward to yet another learning experience and I am really excited to be part of “The World Food Championships”