Location: Taste of California Classroom
The Canning and Baking Competition at the California State Fair is an exciting opportunity for home bakers and canners to showcase their skills and compete for awards. Participants will have the chance to demonstrate their creativity and originality by submitting their best homemade specialties for judging. Don’t miss your chance to be recognized as one of California’s top home bakers or canners!
California’s best adult & youth home bakers and canners, submit your home-made specialties to be judged live at the California State Fair. Adult & Youth Competitions are now combined into one handy competition guide and online application.
Come and watch live professional judging! Our head Judge, Linda Amendt, is an accomplished and experienced blue ribbon baker and home canner, winning nearly 1000 awards in state and county fair food competitions and baking contests across the country. She has been the head judge for the California State Fair for over 20 years and has published multiple canning and baking cookbooks. All entries are “Made from Scratch” and home made. Learn insider secrets on preparing the best entries and how to win those coveted blue ribbons in baked goods and preserved foods competitions from our award winning judges. Learn the difference between American and Danish systems of judging. American Style is what is used on the Great British Baking Show.
The Danish System of Judging is used in the basic evaluation of entries in Regular Competition Divisions. Judges use Scorecards to evaluate entries for 1st, 2nd and 3rd Awards based on a points system. There may be multiple 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Awards.
The American System of Judging is used to determine Best of Class, Best of Division and Best of Show Awards, as well as for the basic evaluation of all entries in the Special Contests. Scorecards are not used. Entries are ranked in competition with other entries for these awards. Only one 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place Award is given.