National Gingerbread Competition, Grove Park Inn, Asheville, NC
The Grove Park Inn is a magical place at this time of year. From the time you pull into the drive, white light lined trees hang overhead, valets bustle and bellhops are busy carrying bags and toting packages, while the large and beautifully decorated Christmas Tree invites you to the front entrance, and men in their overcoats and top hats hold the door. Once in the lobby, two grand stone fireplaces glow on either side of the warm lobby, and another ceiling tall tree centers the welcoming space. This resort is a special place at any time of the year, but at Christmas it has a certain unparalleled charm. Part of that charm is the National Gingerbread Competition display.
Our family had the great fortune of seeing the winning gingerbread "houses" at the historic Grove Park Inn Resort in Asheville, North Carolina this last weekend. Established in 1991, the gingerbread competition has grown to include hundreds of entries from 20 or so states each year.
This year, there were four age divisions: Child, Youth, Teen, and Adult.
I believe this cathedral was a top ten winner in the teen division.
These ginger breads are works of art.
Very clever, too. Carrington loved this monster truck design best of all.
What impressed me so much was the impeccable detail. This teen thought of everything.
I was in awe of the children's and teens' gingerbread creations. The adult ginger breads, however, had me completely mesmerized. The one below was perhaps the most beautiful. It's hard to believe that this is made from an edible confection.
Of course our family was moved by this gingerbread soldier kneeling to open a care package at Christmas time. He was so detailed that even his arm patches were accurately scaled. Inside the box were goodies, and his family's photos were "taped" to the inside flaps of the box. According to the competition rules, everything used in the gingerbread creation has to be completely edible. I wonder how this gingerbread artist made those photos.
I would never have thought to create a Trojan Horse out of gingerbread, but evidently someone else did, and it was amazing. Beautiful, really.
Here is another gingerbread house that had me mind-boggled. Look at the detail. The scrolling, the dalmation perched on the front seat, the fireman's helmet, the post box, the fire hydrant, and the street light. If I had been a judge, this may very well have been my winning pick.
I adore this sleeping Santa.
Here are a few more top ten gingerbread structures that had us scratching our heads and asking, "How did they do that?"
Our ten year old daughter asked to enter the gingerbread competition next year. I think we might. I doubt we'll have a winning entry (although you never know...),but one thing is for certain. We will have lots of fun designing, baking, and decorating our ginger breads. Not to mention, it would be a great "excuse" to stay at the Grove Park Inn once again. What? It's all for the kids (wink, wink)!
We were at the Grove Park Inn admiring the gingerbread creations December 19-21. As I was looking back through my photos, I found this charming gingerbread house that I shared on facebook exactly one year before, on December 20, 2013.The caption read, "I present the 2013 Thackston Family Gingerbread house. Although I love the notion of smiling happily while baking cookies and gingerbread in a clean kitchen with my children as we politely take turns with the candies and sprinkles with resulting beautifully decorated and delectable holiday treats, I just am not that mom this year, and I am OK with that. I wonder if this tastes as good as it looks..."
I think it may be time to change my ways. I'm being summonsed by a ten year old girl who's as sweet as a sugar plum, and a roaring fire from within the stone fireplace in the spirited lobby of the Grove Park Inn. I guess I need to get cooking.
Until next time, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
xoxo, Erin
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