Third Annual Wild Game Cook-Off Is Big Success --
Friends of the Library's Bogue Chitto Pearl
version of cook-off & barbcue fills Cassidy Park
The Bogue Chitto Pearl Wild Game Cook-Off and Barbecue held on August 28 was declared a great
success by the sponsors. The event was a fundraiser by the Friends of the Library for the Washington Parish Library
System.
It was held from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Cassidy Park in Bogalusa, and sponsors said the success
of the cook-off rested squarely on the shoulders of all those who volunteered their time, effort, money and generosity.
This support came from the community, individuals, merchants and professionals.
Aside from the ticket to enter the park, everything was free. Children visited the Pioneer
Museum, saw Louisiana wildlife displays, played in the spacewalk, took canoe rides down Bogue Lusa Creek with the Boy Scouts,
and saw and held
snakes and other critters from the Louisiana Gulf Coast Herpetological Society.
They danced, turned cartwheels and flitted across the grass in front of the stage as the PaperTown
band played.
Cooking teams began arriving at the park on Friday afternoon. By Saturday morning, the
Bogalusa Fire Department, the City of Bogalusa, Dempsey Allen's Rebels, The Garden Shop, the Law Offices of Ronnie G. Penton,
and Wing Bones of Hammond were busy stirring, smoking, basting and frying food.
Dishes prepared for the competiton included beef hot tamales, Creole grilled turkey, grilled
chicken quarters, wood duck sauce picante, barbecued pork ribs, pulled pork, pork tenderloin, pork sausage, pork jambalaya,
wild game jambalaya, catfish courtbouillon, stuffed deer tenderloin, smoked dove breast and deep fried rattlesnake.
All cooking teams donated their time, money and food to bring the feast to the park.
Judges were Marilyn Bailey Crews, Judge Bobby Black, Rupert Breland, Jerry Dunome, Eleanor Duke,
Merlin Duke, Stephen Genco, Joannie Miller, Larry Mizell and Mary Smith.
In addition to the cooking teams, local merchants supplied the Friends pavilion with other delicious
food: fried chicken, coleslaw, baked beans, iced soft drinks. Thanks to all these merchants: Piggly Wiggly, Ole
South Buffet and Seafood, Mike's in Franklinton, Reddy Ice, and Jerry Moffett's Coca-Cola.
James Goff and the First Baptist Men's Quarted hosted the stage program, introducing State
Senator Ben Nevers, the host of this year's cook-off.
Janice Goff, chair of the Second Annual Washington Parish Library Poetry Contest, which was
sponsored by Friends of the Library, presented trophies, award certificates and ribbons to the winners of the contest prior
to the stage show at the cook-off. Friends of the Library were proud of the winners and all the entrants in the poetry
contest and were glad to have the winners and their families attend the cook-off. Teachers with first place winners
were presented books of poetry.
Cook-off winners were announced. First prize for beef went to Dempsey Allen's Rebels for
their beef tamales. Wing Bones won first prize for fowl with their barbecued chicken. City of Bogalusa won second
place for fowl with their Creole grilled turkey.
First place in the pork category went to Wing Bones for their pulled pork, and second place
went to City of Bogalusa for thier pork ribs. Third place was won by Wing Bones with pork tenderloin.
First place in seafood went to The Garden Shop for catfish courtbouillon.
In the wild game category, the first place winner was the Law Offices of Ronnie G. Penton for
stuffed deer tenderloin. Second place also was won by Penton for elk chili. Third place went to the Bogalusa Fire
Department for their wild game jambalaya.
Numerous volunteers put in many hours of hard work to make the event a success, and numerous
businesses contributed considerable funding on various levels. Friends of the Washington Parish Library expressed their
appreciation to everyone.
