Competition 'fierce' in men's bakeoff at the fair

Staff photo by Gary Stelzer Jackie and Narbert Rodefeld look over Narbert’s judging sheet Thursday after the Men’s Bake-Off at the Butler County Fair. Narbert took first-place honors.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Lakota to discuss open enrollment proposal
Updated 2 min. ago
Beach Waterpark sued for failure to deliver
Updated 7 min. ago
Coroner called to Caesar Creek Lake where boater fell overboard
Updated 20 min. ago
Road closing for railroad repairs
11:51 a.m.
Worker falls 20 feet from utility pole
11:14 a.m.
> More headlines

By Rick McCrabb, Staff Writer 11:12 PM Thursday, July 28, 2011

HAMILTON — After announcing the fourth-, third- and second-place finishers in the Men’s Bake-Off at the Butler County Fair, judge Diana Spillman proclaimed: “This is almost as perfect as a man can get.”

A few seconds later, when he realized Spillman, a dietetics professor at Miami University, was talking Thursday afternoon about his triple entry, Nobert Rodefeld Jr. of Hamilton, flashed a large smile.

After finishing second for four straight years, Rodefeld finally won the blue ribbon in the baking contest that drew six entries, a Butler County Fair record.

Spillman called the competition “fierce” and said the male bakers were so serious as they looked on, she didn’t “dare joke.”

She took her time tasting each of the 18 desserts. She broke the cookies into two, carefully sliced the pies and cakes, and took tiny bites that, based on her expression, sometimes pleased her palette. A drink of water followed each bite.

While she’s been judging at the fair for nearly 20 years, Rodefeld, 67, is a relative rookie in the baking business. He started entering the Men’s Bake-Off five years ago after years of encouragement from his wife, Jackie.

He finally put down his paint-by-numbers brush long enough to put on an apron and head into the kitchen.

“I broke down,” he said. “It’s something different to do.”

His wife added: “He can do things.”

Each of the contestants entered six cookies, one pie and one cake. His choices, he said, were three of his favorite desserts, chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin pie and German chocolate cake. In the past, he has baked a cherry pie. Spillman called his pumpkin pie “really tasty.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2842 or rmccrabb@coxohio.com.

Share this article