said Gwyn Scott, OU's executive director for culinary and dining operations.
About 12 teams used everything from globs of icing to Sun Chips to Necco wafers when constructing their entries for Ohio University's third annual gingerbread house competition Wednesday.
It started as fun (but now) it's cutthroat said Gwyn Scott, OU's executive director for culinary and dining operations.
The competition has a short list of rules and regulations; anyone can participate and everything must be edible.
One team joked that another team attempted to sabotage their gingerbread house when a competitor suggested that the team use toothpicks to reinforce the walls of their gingerbread house - an act that would disqualify them.
Each team paid a $12 participation fee and was supplied with a wide variety of treats to work with but many also brought their own.
We all just kind of pitched in said Janet Merwin, an administrative associate in McCracken Hall, adding that this is her second year in the competition.
You don't get a chance (to build gingerbread houses) when you don't have kids.
Teams from various OU departments worked from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. building their entries, which ranged from conventional gingerbread houses to a replica of St. Basil's in Moscow by an international studies team and an OU football game by employees in University Advancement.
The winning design created by the environmental studies department was tree house, complete with broccoli grass and a donut tire swing. The University College team won the people's choice award for their Student Survival Kit
which featured an edible laptop and book bag.
Baker University Center and Dining Services employees judged the entries.
It's fun
but now we will prepare for next year
said Morgan Prouty, who works in Human Resources, adding that this was her first year participating in the contest.
Most of the teams have participated two or three years in a row, including two teams from the College of Education.
Heather Brown, a student on the educational studies team, said her squad made a replica of Cutler Hall last year but did not win. This year, their strategy was to focus more on Christmas.
We have a reputation to uphold
Brown said.
1
News
Caitlin Bowling
