Shown clockwise from top left are grand champions Karessa Ruaisab-Smith, James Turpin and Maggie Tafoya. Left, Keira Osteen and Canyon Carter made poutine, which is Canadian French fries smothered with gravy and cheese curds. Above, Clementine Dimorente and Tamzen McCollom are pictured working on their gourgere pastries. Submitted photos
For the French Club Cooking Competition this year led by Brooke Dobson at Mariposa County High School, students voted to make the cuisine open to a range of options, from appetizers to main courses to desserts.
The only caveat was that the dish had to be from a Francophone country, which encompasses cuisine from all over the world, as French is spoken on all five continents.
Students must discover a recipe, research where it’s from and come up with a backstory that inspired their recipe selection, which can be grounded in reality or completely fanciful, limited only by their imagination.
The students are the judges themselves and vote based on flavor, presentation and backstory. They are not allowed to vote for their own dish.
Seniors, Clementine Dimorente, Kelsea Coder, Kailani Carrier and Tamzen McCollom, tackled the light, savory, puffy, cheesy gougère pastry from the Burgundy region of France.
Sophomores, Khloe Reynolds, Harmony Buckner and Gianna Marks, prepared delectable and hearty steak-frites, which had everyone salivating when the steak hit the pan.
Juniors, Canyon Carter and Keira Osteen, worked hard on their roux for the gravy needed for their poutine, Canadian French fries smothered in gravy and cheese curds.
The grand champions were sophomores, Karessa Ruaisab-Smith, James Turpin and Maggie Tafoya.
Their mille-feuilles aux fraises, a light puff pastry filled with cream and strawberries and dusted with powdered sugar, won the hearts and sweet tooth of their peers.
Gianna Marks, Khloe Reynolds and Harmony Buckner chose steak-frites as their dish.
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