George Latimer

The winners of the first Gingerbread Showcase, held Dec. 6 at the Wainwright House in Rye, include an accomplished cake decorator, a home baker/nanny and a member of the Baking and Pastry Club at The Culinary Institute of New York at Monroe University in New Rochelle.

Congressman George Latimer, Tina Zaccardi, winner of Season Four of The Great American Baking Show and Claudia Ossa, founder of Westchester Foodies, were the judges.

Apparently, the competition was so stiff, the three added an "honorable mention" category.

First prize of $500 went to Karla Thompson with her "Molasses Manor." The seasoned decorator and passionate educator previously taught fine art and stagecraft to K–12 students before opening her own studio, the Dutchess of Desserts.

Katarzyna “Kasia” Zielinska, a nanny in Rye, won second prize ($250) for her "Pink Grinchmas House" which depicts Whoville and intricate details such as the Grinch coming out of the chimney. The home baker, who specializes in custom cakes, cookies and other items, grew up in Poland and learned baking from her Grandpa Kazik, who would ask her to help bake and decorate on a weekly basis.

This was her first competition.

Third prize of $100 went to Evi Mathis, a member of the Baking & Pastry Club at The Culinary Institute of New York at Monroe University, for her "Gingerbread Academy" which depicts a building she's long admired as a a gingerbread house.

There were also three honorable mentions: Elizabeth Llamoctanta, an experienced pastry chef, for her Manursing Island Club; Jim Sandling, a former financier turned hobby baker, for his "Grandma's Cottage" rendition; and Sandra Dziak, whose "A Sleepy Holiday," served as an ode to the Sleepy Hollow Country Club where she works (but not as a pastry chef). This is the second gingerbread house Dziak has ever created. She refers to herself as an “artistic baking enthusiast," with icing as her medium.

The gingerbread houses remain on display Dec. 12 (National Gingerbreadhouse Day) and Dec. 13 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information on the nonprofit Wainwright House, go to wainwright.org.

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