Prizewinning Pound Cake

I told you it was good. 

And I guess I was right because this weekend, I entered my favorite pound cake at the Agricultural Society Fair & Exposition at the Genesee Country Village & Museum and I took home the BLUE RIBBON for it!!

I entered the 21st century pound cake category because to enter the 19th century category you need to cook your entry in a cast iron stove, or over a fire or in a fireplace oven. I just didn't have access to that!

However, I did add a healthy dose of rosewater in place of the vanilla to give it a 19th century flair. What probably helped me win it though, was the rose cake pan that I borrowed from my MIL as well as the blue willow plate that I served it on.

I'll be perfectly honest, there were only 4 cakes in the pound cake category. Still, I've never won anything with my cooking or baking so I was pretty tickled.

I was also a judge-I judged flavored vinegar (all were fantastic) and 2 kids categories-cut & rolled sugar cookies and a 19th century craft. The craft was a woven (on a loom) scarf. It was the only entry in the category. But it was done by a CHILD and it was GORGEOUS. I'm SO taking a weaving class at the museum sometime.

We had a lot of fun.

We pet baby cows

I love looking at all the different heirloom produce displayed. 

 

We saw a horse powered threshing machine. I've read about this and have never seen it before so this was neat

 We visited my pioneer Deanna, the mid-wife over at Keiffer's Place. Check out that Prussian Blue door behind her! It's a color original to the house! Isn't that wild! (also check out her 19th century hair!) While we were there we also met an exchange student from Finland who was here through the Rotary Club-Just like my friend Mari 20 years ago!

I'd also really like to spin and dye my own yard, however, I doubt that I would like anyone enough to give away something I knit with this kind of yarn so perhaps not.... 

My girl had a blast in the children's hands-on exhibit in the Mackay Homestead.

And she visited the Romulus Female Seminary twice because she had so much fun at the desk. 

The only indoor toilet in the village. Look closely at this because it cracks me up. There are 2 seats here!!! Really?? Were people really sitting here together at one time??? Who would want to do that?

 They had these crazy dancers that my daughter loved. They wore bells and a lot of flair. They also did a lot of audience participation dances... I did one that we had to do all kinds of hand claps and another where we had to bang sticks together. (notice I'm not posting those pictures). This round I sat out and took pictures while my lucky husband got to dance in the circle.