MANHATTAN– Kansas is known as the wheat capital of the world. On June 17, Manhattan, Kan., will be at the center of the bread-baking universe when it hosts the fifth National Festival of Breads Competition. The event is held biennially, and this will be the third time for all stages of the competition to take place at spacious Manhattan Conference Center.
Baking experts will give daylong demonstrations at Manhattan Conference Center, 410 S. 3rd St. Eight contestants will be selected from nationwide recipe entries and rewarded with tours of Kansas wheat harvests, plus the national bread bake-off for the title of National Festival of Breads champion. Additional components of the contest for the everyday baker include expert baking tips and stage demonstrations in the conference center ballroom.
“Manhattan is the perfect location to host a national baking completion because it is a wheat research hub,” said Cindy Falk, co-chairperson of the event and nutrition educator for Kansas Wheat Commission. “We are able to take contestants on a short day trip to a wheat farm during harvest and a flour mill tour.
“In addition, they get to see the test kitchen where the finalists’ recipes were test baked and tour the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center to learn about the future of the wheat industry.”
NFOB contestants will have seven hours to mix, shape, rise and bake award-winning, yeast breads in “kitchens” set around the ballroom. The public can watch the baking magic in action, and even receive samples of delicious, freshly-made breads. Outside in Blue Earth Plaza, another fun component of NFOB fans will be “Barbecue Like a Pro” demonstrations. BBQ fans can enhance outdoor-grill techniques from national champion Rod Gray of BBQ Pitmasters fame. Gray will demonstrate best grilling practices, and spectators can learn the latest supplemental barbecue tools from Manhattan’s own Aaron Nickell with Backyard Kitchen, which furnishes high-quality outdoor kitchen supplies and equipment.
NFOB is a true national competition by every standard. Recent NFOB winners hail from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Oregon and Illinois. Nationwide entries are submitted in four categories: holiday breads, rolls, time saving and simple, and whole grains. An overall champion is selected as the grand prize winner.
Contestants’ original recipes must produce at least one loaf or one dozen rolls, and the NFOB website instructs that recipes tend to score higher if bakers rely upon simplified steps and fewer ingredients. Adult and youth (8 to 17) categories comprise the contest divisions.
This year, entries are eligible to win special awards for Best Recipe Using White Whole Wheat Flour (sponsored by Farmer Direct Foods), Best Recipe Using King Arthur Flour Sprouted Wheat Flour (sponsored by King Arthur Flour), Best Recipe Using a Soy Ingredient (sponsored by the Kansas Soybean Commission) and Best Recipe Using a Corn Ingredient (sponsored by the Kansas Corn Commission).
2017 National Festival of Breads is presented by King Arthur Flour, Red Star Yeast and Kansas Wheat Commission. Additional sponsors include C&H Sugar, Domino Sugar, USA Pans, Hy-Vee Manhattan, Kansas Farm Bureau, Kansas State Bank and Manhattan area Walmart, Target and Bed, Bath and Beyond stores.