Columnist Muriel Stevens: Judgment not reserved at contest

Wednesday, May 18, 2005 | 8:21 a.m.

Las Vegas was enjoying breezy, benevolent weather the day I departed for Charlotte, N.C. It had been a long time since I last participated as a judge for the National Chicken Cooking Contest.

For weeks I'd been checking the weather forecasts for Charlotte and was delighted that the daily temperatures were not yet high and that there was a considerable drop in the evenings. Of course that all changed the day of my departure -- "T" for thunderstorms was the prediction.

What that meant didn't hit me until I walked through the skywalk into the terminal and a blanket of humid air descended on my head. I could feel the curls on my usually sleek head boinging into corkscrews. I was prepared for most eventualities, including insect bites, but I didn't want curls.

The Westin Hotel where we stayed is only 2 years old. It's a handsome bit of architecture with attractive public areas. The staff is polite and accommodating, yet service is lacking. The chicken-industry staff made up for any shortcomings.

There are few dining opportunities in the hotel, but our programs started at 7:30 a.m. or 8 a.m. and included breakfast. For the judges there was little down time. Cooking contests are serious affairs. With a top prize of $100,000, the rules are not to be taken lightly.

Overseeing the event was Contest Director Nancy Tringali Piho. Before retiring, Nancy's mother, Dotty, was the contest director for many years.

On contest day our schedule included breakfast and a seminar and the opening ceremony and Parade of Stars (the contestants) at the convention center where the cooking would be done.

The judges were sequestered in a separate area; the contestants were cooking a short distance away. They couldn't see us and we couldn't see them. As each dish was finished it was brought to the judges' tables to be evaluated and tasted.

It took many hours to complete the tasting and evaluating. There were 51 dishes from the 50 states and Washington, D.C. Thanks to a super staff of assistants who kept the dishes coming and reminded us of the time and supplied the palate cleansers -- celery and carrot sticks, saltines and various soft beverages and water when needed -- we were able to choose the winners.

Camilla V. Saulsbury of Bloomington, Ind., took home the hundred thou with her imaginative Mahogany Broiled Chicken With Smoky Lime Sweet Potatoes and Cilantro Chimichurri.

Camilla's presentation was so beautiful, the flavors so appealing. The recipe will appear in my Main Course column Friday. Don't be put off by the ingredient list. Many of the ingredients are seasonings.

Camilla is a "newly minted" Ph.D and is a sociology professor at Indiana U. She also teaches exercise classes and works as a personal trainer. She has been married two years to college professor and computer specialist Kevin West. This delightful multitasker credits her parents for instilling her interest in food.

All of the 46th chicken contest recipes are included in "The Chicken Cookbook." To purchase the paperback ($3) or to enter the 47th National Chicken Cooking Contest, visit www.eatchicken.com.