I'll be putting my food judging skills to test again soon when the "Sweet Charity Dessert Competition" returns for its second year from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Jan. 19.
Sponsored by Faith in Action of the Greater Kanawha Valley, Sweet Charity is a light- hearted dessert competition among several area confectioners and chefs, during which the public can enjoy music, dessert samplings, West Virginia wine tastings, a chance to win door prizes and more.
Last year's inaugural event at the Women's Club of Charleston was such a hit that organizers are moving this year's contest across the river to the Columbia Pipeline Auditorium (1700 MacCorkle Ave. SE) to accommodate an expected increase in interest this go 'round.
That day, I'll be joining a pair of celebrity judges to pick the event's winning entries. West Virginia Symphony Maestro Grant Cooper will judge creativity, State Tourism Commissioner Amy Shuler Goodwin will score presentation and me? I'll rank 'em by taste.
Guests also get to cast their votes for a People's Choice award, which last year went to Teri Blevins of Lil' Bit of Heaven Cupcakes.
Confirmed entrants this year include Blevins, plus returnees Zach Davis of Fannie's Sweet Confections in Huntington and Chef Cheri Godfrey of Mardi Gras Casino & Resort. Among the newcomers are Sugar Pie Bakery and Bellaire at Devonshire. The festivities will once again be emceed by Mountain Stage producer Adam Harris.
Executive Director Jennifer Waggener says Faith in Action is a relatively young, privately funded nonprofit dedicated to helping seniors in Kanawha and Putnam counties sustain their independence and remain in their own homes as long as possible. The 100 percent volunteer-driven organization provides free services like transportation to medical appointments or the grocery store, running errands, making telephone reassurance calls or visits, and more.
Judging a dessert competition may be a piece of cake, but helping out a great cause in the process is definitely the icing on top of it.
You can learn more about the group by visiting www.faithinactiongkv.com, or check out the event page by searching "SweetCharityFIAGKV" on Facebook. Tickets are $25 each and are available online, by mail or by calling 304-881-7253.
And if you'd like to enter the contest, there are a few spots still open. The more dessert for me, the better!
nnn
When reader J. Michael Mollohan reached out with a Baked Steak 911 last week, a few of you jumped into action with suggestions to help fill his comfort food void.
"I have found the baked steak and gravy at Corner Kitchen on Bigley Road to be very good," wrote Betsy Keene. "Not to mention their mashed potatoes, which are the real thing and also very tasty! I've also tried the baked steak at Suppers to Go also on Bigley and it was excellent, but the mashed potatoes there were not so great."
She said both places offer takeout too.
"Food Guy, I feel J. Michael's pain," said Darren Wilburn, a financial representative at Northwestern Mutual in Charleston. "I would give anything for another meal at the Rose City Cafeteria. But with that said, this is an easy question. The best baked steak in Charleston can be found at The Smokehouse."
He said that spot on West Washington Street is the only version that comes close to Rose City or any number of old country diners like Randy's or Janet's Drive In down Logan way.
"I'd love to hear your thoughts if you have had it."
I have not, Darren, but will definitely give it a taste test. Maybe we should meet J. Michael there for lunch one day!
nnn
I love shining a little light on worthy local businesses, and it's even more rewarding when my words help make a difference. One of the readers who gave me a heads-up on Faithy's Corner Café said my recent review was definitely good for business.
"What a wonderful write-up," she wrote. "Not only did Faith and Diana appreciate the kind words about menu items and customer service, but you should feel gratified to know how many people read it - and are still coming in talking about it. New customers came in to try the food because of your column and regular customers loved having their favorite spot written about so glowingly."
Warms my heart to hear that.
Steven Keith writes a weekly food column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail. He can be reached at 304-380-6096 or by email at dailymailfoodguy@aol.com. You can also follow him on Facebook and Pinterest as "DailyMail FoodGuy," on Twitter as "DMFoodGuy" and read his blog at blogs.wvgazettemail.com/foodguy.