MILLERSBURG, Ky. — It’s a time-consuming job that requires those participating to have a keen eye and the ability to make some incredibly tough decisions.
It’s that time again for the annual gingerbread house competition at Mustard Seed Hill in Millersburg.
Making a gingerbread house is one thing, but being a judge at a gingerbread competition is not exactly an easy task when there are so many outstanding creations.
"When I am judging, my favorites are the ones that are absolute showstoppers," said Toa Green, competition judge. "If I walk into the room and I see it and it wows me, those are the ones that I really focus on and pay attention to."
Bakers from across the region, and in some cases, the country, have worked tirelessly to enter this competition. Each artist hoping to win first place in their category and bragging rights.
"This is probably the best year yet, and I can say that with full confidence," said Victoria Benson, Mustard Seed Hill president. "And some of them aren't even pastry chefs. They're just home bakers, which I shouldn't say just home bakers because it's incredible what they've created."
So what exactly are these judges looking for in a winning creation?
"I'm looking for the creativity and the architecture of the piece, how structured, how complicated it is, how complex," said Leigh Jordan, competition judge.
"I'm looking for a really good use of edible materials," said Damaris Phillips, competition judge. "I want to be able to think that I would eat this as a little kid."
Each entry is judged based on its overall appearance, originality, creativity, neatness and stability. Most importantly, each house could only be built with edible materials.
"I am looking for, how does it make me feel?" said Tamara Schneider, competition judge. "Does it fit the aesthetic of winter and gingerbread and all that we think about when we think about this time of year? How's it made? Is it structurally sound? Does it look solid?"
"And then, of course, I love anything whimsical, creative, outside the box, that kind of thing."
After hours of judging, have any winners emerged?
"I have a winner," Phillips said. "I have a winner. I mean, in every category, I have picked a winner."
A "wow factor" that the makers of these gingerbread creations hope bring them some prize-winning dough.