While finishing your bread baking this holiday season, consider entering your original yeast bread recipe in the National Festival of Breads.

Entries for the baking contest, which is sponsored by Red Star Yeast, King Arthur Flour and the Kansas Wheat Commission, are being accepted through Jan. 22. The competition seeks the best yeast bread recipes from home bakers and food bloggers throughout the United States. The entry period has been extended to give holiday bakers time to perfect their recipes into the New Year. 

"The National Festival of Breads builds upon a rich tradition of grassroots support and is the nation's only amateur yeast bread baking competition," says Cindy Falk, co-chairwoman of the event and nutrition educator for the Kansas Wheat Commission. "This contest is a way for amateur bakers to be recognized for their baking skills and creativity."

The 2019 contest will have two divisions: home bakers and food bloggers. Individuals who are avid amateur home bread bakers and do not make the major portion of their income by baking bread may enter the Home Baker Division. Individuals who currently maintain an active food blog and include wheat foods and yeast bread recipes as part of their content may enter the Food Blogger Division. Adult bakers, ages 18 and up, can self-identify their division and submit original recipes online at nationalfestivalofbreads.com. Submissions, which require photos of the entered bread, will only be accepted through the online form.

Judges will evaluate all entries and select eight finalists, four from each division, who will receive airfare and accommodations to participate in the national competition on June 8 in Manhattan. In addition, each finalist will receive a $500 cash award, participate in a wheat harvest tour at a working Kansas wheat farm and flour mill, and learn about wheat research at the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center.

The National Festival of Breads is held every other year and is open to the public. The ballroom at the Manhattan Convention Center is transformed into eight color-coordinated kitchens, one for each of the finalists. Festivalgoers get to watch as each finalist bakes his or her bread throughout the day. The main stage features baking demonstrations by cookbook authors and baking experts. The National Festival of Breads is a fun, educational day for the whole family. It also includes a children's area, bread samples, food trucks, live music and more.

At the end of the festival, two Grand Prize Winners will be awarded, one from each division. These Grand Prize winners will receive a trip to attend a baking class of their choice at the King Arthur Flour Baking Education Center in Norwich, Vt., or Skagit Valley, Wash., and a one-year supply of Red Star Yeast. Complete rules are available at nationalfestivalofbreads.com.

The National Festival of Breads is sponsored by two of the most trusted brands in baking, Red Star Yeast and King Arthur Flour.

Red Star Yeast was founded in 1882 and over the years has developed a complete line of yeast products, including Platinum Superior Baking Yeast, Active Dry Yeast, Quick Rise Yeast and Cake Yeast. Red Star Yeast also has many tips and tricks of the trade and the science behind yeast on their website, redstaryeast.com.

King Arthur Flour is America's oldest flour company and premier baking resource, offering ingredients, mixes, tools, recipes, educational opportunities, and inspiration to bakers worldwide. For more information, visit kingarthurflour.com.

The Kansas Wheat Commission is a farmer-funded and governed advocacy organization working to secure the future of Kansas wheat globally and domestically through research, promotion, marketing and education. Kansas wheat farmers support the Kansas Wheat Commission with a voluntary 2-cent assessment on each bushel of wheat produced in Kansas. For more information, visit kansaswheat.org.

Additional information is available at nationalfestivalofbreads.com.

Source: Kansas Wheat