Saturday, December 14, 2024
Thanksgiving is a holiday filled with togetherness, tradition and, of course, a whole lot of turkey — and that’s exactly how Hood County employees celebrated their holiday luncheon Nov. 21.
Every year, all the county departments gather for the Hood County Employee Holiday Luncheon, where employees share a holiday meal, enjoy camaraderie among coworkers, and celebrate a year of hard work and success.
But one portion of the holiday event was just a tad sweeter than the rest — literally.
The highly anticipated dessert competition allowed employees the opportunity to test their culinary skills and creativity by baking a favorite family recipe that would impress the local judges.
As Granbury Chamber of Commerce Interim President Holly Martin, Place 6 council member Greg Corrigan and yours truly served as judges, it was clear this decision would not simply be a piece of cake — pun intended.
From decadent pies to rich cakes, the competition was fierce as nine employees tried their hand at creating a dessert so mouthwatering that we would have no choice but to crown them the ultimate holiday dessert champion.
While it was a tough decision, three treats stood out among the rest — proving they were truly “batter” than the competition.
The top three winners were awarded cash prizes, with first place taking home $100, second place receiving $70 and third place earning $40.
The winners were:
With the winner receiving not only bragging rights, but also a “sweet” cash prize, the dessert showdown was definitely a delicious highlight for everyone involved.
“I had a blast judging the desserts for the Hood County Employee Annual Holiday Luncheon,” Martin said. “It was not easy choosing the top three desserts ... they were all so good! I definitely got my sugar fix for a while! I was honored to be a judge and would love to get to do it again next year.”
For Corrigan though, this wasn’t his first rodeo, as the council member shared this was his fourth year to serve as a dessert judge for the luncheon.
"Every year the quality of dessert gets better and more difficult to judge,” he said. “I always appreciate the invite and will continue to judge as long as they will have me.”
While the dessert competition may have been the icing on the cake, Hood County Treasurer Leigh Ann McCoy shared that the event’s goal is a way to thank all 389 county employees for a job well done.
“We look forward to the county luncheon every year, to give back and serve the employees,” she said. “I hope the employees always know how much they are appreciated by each and every one of the elected and appointed officials.”
As Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Roger “Cotton” Howell led the event with raffles and cash giveaways, employees were treated to a delicious holiday meal complete with turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, rolls, cranberry sauce, and — as mentioned above — a lot of desserts.
The event was made possible thanks to the generous contributions of local businesses and individuals, including:
For me, I truly enjoyed getting to serve as the third judge for the dessert competition, but it was definitely not a “cake walk!”
With each bite, I was not only amazed by the creativity and effort that went into every dessert, but the deliciousness as well, which made it nearly impossible to choose the top three.
Ultimately though, I had a great time and I was honored to be part of such a sweet tradition with two of Hood County’s finest leaders.
As another Hood County Employee Holiday Luncheon comes to a close, everyone involved can reflect back on an afternoon filled with delicious desserts, generous donations and camaraderie among coworkers — reminding us all that life truly is what you “bake” it.
