[Rosemary]

Lillian and I were making the schedule for the SS&GF sausage competition today.

There are five classes - breakfast (pork), breakfast (beef), specialty pork, specialty (beef, venison, lamb), pedigree pork - then the champion

We couldn't decide whether to run five classes for professionals and five classes for amateurs or just five classes for everyone.

What do you think? Would you be put off from entering if you were against professional butchers (and if you are a professional butcher, vice versa  )?

Thanks.

[Mammyshaz]

I'll quite happily settle as a taster 

[Ina]

What - none for vegetarian sausages? 

(Creeps away and hides...  )

[bloomer]

can i get to taste them all somehow please 

[Dizzycow]

I'm mixed on this one. I don't make sausages, but have tasted several varieties of Lillian's outstanding offerings. As a keen cook I would be delighted and feel highly competetive to be competing against professionals, but if I didn't win I'd almost certainly think again - it's not faaaair! Having said that, surely someone in Lillian's position who rears and butchers their own beasts, then makes the sausages is actually in a better position than a butcher who is more commercial and will potentially pay less attention to detail.... Tricky.
I think mix them up, pros and ams in together. The proof will be in the sausages. My money's on Lil.

[YorkshireLass]

I'd mix them up but have something like a "Most promising" award over the whole 5 classes to encourage the amateurs...?

[robert waddell]

at these events you just never know who is in the audience        this was highlighted at the rhs when a butcher came on the stand late on sunday        he was not complimentary about some of the products in the food hall  from him selling them     the point is criticism can stop you dead in your tracks or you improve your game to get that top accolade or near the top it depends on the person that is getting the criticism with all competitions there is a first and a last    it is the taking part that counts
Lillian entered sausages at newark show and on getting the results was not to happy with them a few days latter and the results were not to bad the biggest failure was the cooked weight  this being critical they even weighed the tray and the written comments were very good  this was a butchers competition
the last competition there was only one point betwean first and second with three tying for second place      it is all down to the judge on the day and his taste or preference    there is no way the judge knows the sausages entered or who has made them that is revealed later
the spka competitions is for pedigree pork       the SS&GF  is any meat     so give it a go you just never know