2006 AAA Living, Michigan Sugar, & Zehdner's
Best Bread in Michigan
Annual Baking Contest

CHERRY CHEESE RING WINS

AAA LIVING, MICHIGAN SUGAR AND ZEHNDER’S
BEST BREAD IN MICHIGAN ANNUAL BAKING CONTEST

            Frankenmuth, Michigan, June 14, 2006 – In the seventeenth annual “Michigan’s Best” baking contest, judges chose the Cherry Cheese Ring by Barbara Wheeler of Royal Oak, Michigan as “Michigan’s Best Bread Recipe.”  Food editors and writers from Michigan newspapers along with radio and TV station celebrities, and representatives from sponsors, Zehnder’s, AAA Living magazine and Michigan Sugar found Wheeler’s bread to be the best of the 350 plus recipes submitted from around the state.

            This year’s entrants submitted recipes in four categories:  Sweetened Yeast Breads, Muffins, Pound Breads and Sweet Biscuits.  Ten finalists from each category were pre-selected to participate in the final judging based on ease of preparation, appearance, taste and texture.  From the pre-selected entries, the judges, including Ron Garbinski, Editor, AAA Living magazine; Mary Lawrence, Saginaw News; Sandy Sutton, Midland Daily News; Patty Lalonde, Bay City Times; Douglas Levy, Oakland Press; Ron Krueger, Flint Journal; Jamie McCoy, Tuscola Advertiser;  Sue Smith, WSGW-AM Radio; Jim Geyer, WEYI-TV-25, Barb Wallace, Michigan Sugar; Patty Bierlein, Michigan Sugar Growers Association, and from Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth Mark Frank, and Shelby Albrecht selected one winner from each category.

   The four category winners are:  Barbara Wheeler, Cherry Cheese Ring (yeast breads), Sally Sibthorpe of Shelby Township with Orange & White Chocolate Scones (sweet biscuits), Marie Rizzio of Interlochen with Glazed White Chocolate Macadamia Muffins (muffins), and Kay Wilson of Bay City with Rum-Buckle Breakfast Loaf (pound breads).  Each category winner received $200 and dinner for two at Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth.  As the overall winner Barbara Wheeler was awarded an additional $500 and an overnight package at Zehnder’s Splash Village Hotel and Waterpark.  Her winning recipe will be featured in the September issue of AAA Living.  In addition Wheeler’s Cherry Cheese Ring will be featured in Zehnder’s Bakery.

            “The baking competition is a great way to recognize some of Michigan’s best amateur baker’s said John Zehnder, the executive chef at Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth.  “We get so many wonderful and unique recipes that it is difficult to choose which one will take home the prize.”  Beginning with the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Contest in 1990, Zehnder’s and AAA Living have recognized Michigan’s best amateur bakers through the annual competition.  Previous contests include Best Cake (2005 & 1996), Best Dessert Bar (2004), Best Cookie (2003 & 1995), Best Fruit Pie (2002 & 1993), Best Apple Recipe (2001), Best Pie (2000), Best Brownie (1999 & 1992), Best Coffeecake (1998), Best Muffin (1997), Best Cheesecake (1994) and Chocolate Cakes (1991).

            The Bavarian town of Frankenmuth, 90 miles north of Detroit, is one of the state’s top Tourist destinations with more than 3 million visitors each year.  In addition to Zehnder’s 1,500 seat restaurant with a marketplace, bakery and gift store, Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth owns and operates Zehnder’s Splash Village Hotel & Waterpark, and the 18-hole championship golf course, The Fortress.  In 1998, Golf Digest recognized The Fortress as one of the top 450 public golf courses in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.  Zehnder’s also owns and operates Rapunzel’s, an upscale specialty retail store.  Frankenmuth was voted the best day trip in Michigan Detroit News readers, and Zehnder’s was honored as one of the top vacation-stop restaurants in the state.  Learn more about Zehnder’s at www.zehnders.com or call 800-863-7999, central reservations for dining, golf, meetings and lodging.