La Conner sisters win blue ribbons for county fair pies

Every four years, Maggie Wilder finds herself weeping during the Olympics.

“I’m moved by the glory of it and that I never won anything,” she said. “I always wonder what that would feel like.”

Knowing that qualifying for the high hurdles was out of the question, Wilder suggested to her sister Georgia Johnson that they enter pies in the Skagit County Fair.

“I wanted to win something in a friendly competitive way,” said Wilder, “and what could be friendlier than the fair?”

When the judging was over, both sisters had earned a blue ribbon.

Wilder’s peach pie took first place in the senior division of the Skagit County Fair Open Class Home Economics, Fruit Pies.

Johnson’s rhubarb pie took first place in the professional division, which is for exhibitors who teach or receive money for baking. She has done both in her years as La Conner School District food services director and culinary arts teacher, as well as owner of the now-closed Johnson’s Fine Catering and Bakery.

Plus, says Wilder, “Everything I know about pies I learned from Georgia Johnson.”

Prepping for the contest turned out to be a lot like the Olympics. “We’ve been in training, too,” said Johnson, “practicing and tweaking our pies for a couple years, finding little things that work well, things that don’t and trying to improve them however we can.”

She chose to bake a rhubarb pie because her husband, Bruce Cornwall, loves them – but she doesn’t. So she worked to develop a recipe that would taste good to her, too.

Wilder baked a peach pie, because she loves the way its flavor is almost a fragrance and very aromatic. Her recipe included a splash of brandy. Next time she makes it, she will add more.

Both sisters’ pies ended up in the “Other” category of the Home Economics pie contest, which also include apple and berry.

The Skagit County Fair Open Class Home Economics show invites entries of homemade baked and canned goods in many categories. In the baked goods area, there are adult, junior, children, senior and professional divisions for quick breads, yeast breads, pies, cookies, cakes, cake decorating and candy.

Judging is very precise. When the sisters were handed their ribbons, they were also given their judging sheets. The main criteria were appearance, texture of crust, aroma and flavor of crust, filling, texture of filling and aroma and flavor of filling. Filling and crust had another half dozen subcategories of evaluation.

“The people who are judging really know their pies,” said Johnson.

As bakers, the sisters know that ingredients aren’t even half of the secret to a pie’s success. More important is handling the crust. Wilder chills a marble rolling pin in her refrigerator before she rolls out her crust. Johnson loves the messy process of “pressage,” or getting the dough to come together. To help the bottom crust bake better, she also freezes a buttered pie tin for 30 minutes before she makes, fills and bakes the pie.

The pantheon of county fair awards includes levels far higher than blue ribbons and Best in Show awards. At the very top of the Home Economics division are the King and Queen of the Kitchen – the man and woman with the most entries in Home Economics and canning combined. A Prince and Princess are also declared, although there was no Prince of the Kitchen this year.

Wilder and Johnson are content to be minor members of the royal court. To Wilder, the blue ribbon is a metaphor for life. “You do your best and then – you win! It’s not so much an award but the satisfaction that I did my very best.”

“What if all of life could be that way?” she wondered.