The 2019 Ventura County 4-H Food Faire was held on Saturday, February 2^nd at Will Rogers Elementary School in Ventura. Nineteen members participated from three clubs: Conejo-Simi, Loma Vista, and Somis.

There were three food categories to enter: main dish, appetizer, and dessert. Members also entered decorated cakes and cupcakes. There was also a table setting category. There were 11 food items, 4 decorated items, and 1 table setting entered. Two Oxnard College Culinary Academy teachers were judges.

There were lots of things for members to do during the judging. Adler Striegel of Loma Vista prepared a vegetable judging station with veggies donated from Underwood Family Farms.

Livia Vertucci of Loma Vista 4-H prepared a spice guessing station. Adeline Vertucci from Loma Vista 4-H club created two tasting station: apples and store-bought salsa.

Reyna Lane made a healthy living station where members had to match the amount of sugar contained in different foods and drinks. It was amazing to see how much sugar there is in foods that are considered healthy, like granola and orange juice.

Reyna's mom brought chocolate fondue, a treat popular in the 1970s, for members to dip marshmallows, pretzels, and graham crackers.

The community service activity was to donate money and make thank you cards for José Andrés, founder of World Central Kitchen, the group that came to feed firefighters and others during the Thomas Fire and during other disasters around the world. We collected $40 to donate to World Central Kitchen along with our cards.

The most exciting part of the day was the ‘Iron Chef' competition where 16 attendees were placed into groups to take random ingredients, such as Spam, sponge cake, and kalamata olives, to create one appetizer and one dessert in 45 minutes. The appetizers and desserts that were made were interesting and creative.

Thanks to Rachel McClanahan (Livia and Adeline's mom) and Julie Salomonson (Adler's mom) for organizing this event. We can't wait until next year!