Many students gathered in the Glass Pavilion on Wednesday to view and taste baked goods inspired by books at the second annual Read it and Eat it Edible Book Festival, hosted by the Sheridan Libraries.
The baking competition mostly featured cakes, but there were also cookies and a Jell-O mold.
The participants were competing for four prizes. The first was awarded for “Best Effort” and went to senior Anita Dam for her Cat in the Hat-inspired treat. The “Most Delicious” went to juniors Naomi Ephraim, Demmi Hersh, Laura Scavo and Sarah Trejo for their Giving Tree-themed baked good, and “Best Literary Theme” went to senior Stephanie Huie and sophomore Maggie Weese for their Alice in Wonderland-inspired cookies.
Finally, “Funniest, Punniest” was awarded to sophomores Stephanie Herrera and Erica Schwarz for their treat modeled after The Great Gatsby. The awards, which were gift cards ranging from $90 to $175, were distributed based on the popular vote of attendees.
Additionally, Elissa Weissman, a Hopkins alumna and local children’s author, decided which baked good would receive the prize for “Best in Show.”
The event was facilitated by both Heidi Herr, the librarian for English and philosophy and outreach coordinator for Special Collections, and Chellammal Vaidyanathan, the curator of 19th and 20th Century Rare Books and Manuscripts as well as the academic liaison for history, African studies and Latin American studies.
According to Herr, the guidelines for entering a baked good in the competition were loose.
“The cakes have to correspond to a work of literature or a work of non-fiction. Other than that, we let people’s imaginations flow. Some cakes are based on characters. Some are more conceptual and based on entire novels,” Herr said.
Herr was pleased with the high turnout at the event.
“We have way more people this year, along with a larger variety of cakes,” she said. “Last year, we had about 20 entries [and] this year over 30... We have so many people from throughout the Hopkins universe here and people just seem very happy. I’m proud to be part of a community that has so many sugar fiends. I have to say, people are really bringing their ‘cake-game’ to the festival this year. The talent amongst our student bakers is phenomenal.”
Huie, a first-time participant, agreed that the event had a good turnout and featured talented bakers.
“I didn’t expect it to be this crowded. It’s really fun, and everyone was really creative with all their ideas,” Huie said.
Huie and Weese made shortbread cookies designed as teabags and presented them as part of an Alice in Wonderland-inspired mad tea party set.
“We’re not bakers by any means. We just thought it was something cool. We were cooking and baking for seven hours yesterday, so it was a lot of fun,” Huie said.
Anyone associated with Hopkins was allowed to enter a baked good in the competition, according to Herr.
“You have to be a Hopkins affiliate, so a student, staff member or spouse of a staff member, for instance, [could] enter,” Herr said.
According to Herr, the concept behind the festival was developed in 2000, and the competition has since become popular internationally.
“Colleges and museums throughout the world have been doing this since 2000, and we felt that it was time for Hopkins to take part in it, too,” Herr said.
Herr felt the event would be especially beneficial to Hopkins students.
“We know that Hopkins students in particular are stressed. We wanted to create a fun event, and who doesn’t like cake? It seems that students really enjoy it based on the numbers we have here,” Herr said.
Freshman Holly Tice said she was impressed by the cake designs.
“It was cool to see the different cakes and to taste them. I love cake. I think they should have waited a little longer to cut into them, though, so people could actually see the designs. But, overall, a great event,” Tice said.
Anne-Elizabeth Brodsky, a senior lecturer in the Expository Writing Program, also enjoyed the event and attended it with her children.
“The cakes are beautiful and delicious. It’s such a different kind of opportunity for people to see each other and to be creative and to eat,” Brodsky said.
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