Are You Atlanta's Best Baker?

Share Our Strength invites Atlantans to tie on their aprons and bring their best desserts to the Great American Baking Contest on Thursday, March 11 at Cook's Warehouse - Midtown. This kickoff event for the seventh annual Great American Bake Sale will feature professional pastry chefs, amateurs and children vying to win the title “Atlanta’s Best Dessert.” All proceeds will benefit Share Our Strength, a national organization working to end childhood hunger by 2015.

Guests will have the opportunity to sample confectionery creations from Atlanta’s best pastry chefs and participate in a silent auction. At the end of the evening, contestants in each group level will be judged on originality, taste and appearance. Atlanta Journal-Constitution food writer John Kessler and Cook's Warehouse owner Mary Moore will judge the professionals’ desserts, while pastry chefs Jonathan St. Hilaire, Alon Balshan and Kathryn King will judge the amateur and children's confections.

The festivities will continue from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Great American Baking Contest general admission is $25 per person. VIP admission is $35 and includes a champagne reception at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available at www.strength.org/bakingcontest.

Contestant entry fees are $25 for children and amateur bakers and $95 for professionals. First, second and third place bakers will be recognized with prizes including $500 for the first place professional winner and $250 for the first place amateur and child baker, courtesy of Domino’s Sugar. Deadline for all entries is Thursday, February 25, 2010, and all entries must include contact information, detailed recipe summary or recipe and the non-refundable, tax-exempt entry fee. To see the full contest rules or to enter, visit www.strength.org/bakingcontest