A GOOD JOB FOR A BOY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 65, 9 November 1912, Page 3

A GOOD JOB FOR A BOY.

With many signs of relief the judges in the confectionery section of the Bakers’ and Confectioners’ Exhibition, London, completed their task of tasting the hundreds of delectable confections entered in the various competitions. The mince pies were the last of all to come under review. After five days of strenuous tasting, Mr F. Starkey, of Birmingham, emerged as the champion taster of the world.

1 “tip to the last,” said Mr T. Percy ; Lewis, chairman of the judges, “it | was a close tiling between Mr Starkey ! and Mr W. T. Callard, of Leicester; ; hut Mr Callard broke down after the ! pork pies and could not go on to the ! mincemeat. Mr Starkey is vice-chair-man of the judges, and it is his duty to see that they do not shirk the tasting. Pie, too, begged to bo excused after the pork pics, but I persuaded him to go on. Here is a list of the things he has judged during the week, and he has tasted them all, with very few exceptions:—Friday: .314 cakes; Saturday: 175 sponge cakes, 235 tarts, * buns, and small cakes. Monday: 50 wedding cakes with the almond icing. Tuesday; 315 pajstrios. Wednesday; 228 pork pics, 32 Christmas puddings, and 78 mince pies. The wedding cakes nearly overcame him on Monday, but be was, ready for the fray again on Tuesday. I think it is a. fine tribute to the purity of the goods made by the confectioners of England that a man can taste all that lot and st.ll he well.”

Mr Callard, who lost by a “short head,” said that the last hours’ of the judges ’tasks were much cheered

by tho excellence of the pork pies. “Never before,” he said, “have we known them to be so lino. We really enjoyed tasting them. There is much distinction about pork pies. The judges can always tell what county a pork pie was made' in by its flavour and appearance. Wo guessed rightly the counties that t-c kict Ivc pics came fr-rn. The winner was from Warwickshire.”