Judge really prefers cherry, but traditional apple wins Hayes County Fair pie contest

Hayes County, Nebraska County Fair pie contest judge Myra Large of Hayes Center discusses overall appearance of pies with Jim Singleton, a member of the Hayes Center Lions Club, whose members will help coordinate the pie contest in the future. First-second-and-third places in the adult division came down to two apples and one raisin pie. (Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Daily Gazette)

HAYES CENTER, Nebraska -- The judge laughed that her favorite pie always ends with "p-i-e." In other words, she's not picky -- she just loves pie.

"Oh, if I had to pick an absolute favorite," Myra Large, of Hayes Center, mused, "I'd have to say it's fresh homegrown cherry pie."

But the pie she selected to win the adult division of the annual Hayes County Fair Pie-Baking Contest was a traditional apple pie, baked by Doris Vlasin of rural Hayes Center.

Other top winners were pecan and rhubarb.

Myra explained that she looks for an eye-appealing pie, and then judges the texture and flavor of the crust and filling.

She tastes for the ratio of butter/lard to the flour, whether the flour taste is overpowering. "I look at how flakey the crust is ... is it overcooked or underbaked?" Myra said. She nibbled a contender, and exclaimed, "Oh, the crust is what puts this one over the top. It's lard and butter, no doubt."

"This one is underbaked. See how blond it looks?" Myra pointed out.

The proportions of fruit to filling is important ... the freshness of the fruit and the nuts is vital. Don't undercook ... don't overbake. A store-bought crust is instantly identifiable.

Toward the end of taste-testing 51 pies, Myra sighed, looking at the last three adult entry pies. "I'm trying to talk them (coordinators) into a three-way tie for first ... Maybe I'll just eenie-meenie-miney-moe ... "

But that didn't work -- she had to place them one-two-three ...

The winners were:

Age 7 and under

1. Naomi Deaver, pecan; 2. Peyton Cox, blueberry; and 3. Avery Lynch, blueberry.

Age 8-14

1. Reilly Fichtner, rhubarb; 2. Colby Cox, pecan peach; and 3. Ramsey Mullen, Snicker bar pie.

Age 15-18

1. Tristan Johnson, pecan; 2. Larissa Wach, rhubarb; and 3. Jaclyn Nelson, pecan.

Adult

1. Doris Vlasin, apple ("This is a dang-good apple pie," Myra exclaimed); 2. Shirley Evans, sour cream raisin pie (I love a good raisin cream pie," Myra smiled); 3. Lesa Johnson, apple upside-down pie.