By Melanie Petrucci, Senior Community Reporter
Photo/Melanie Petrucci
Northborough – There was serious business to attend to at Northborough’s Senior Center Sept. 14. Five judges convened to judge this year’s Applefest Apple Bake-off and the competition was fierce.
The five judges were Rachael Koopman of Hays Funeral Home; Henry Squillante, president of the Friends of the Northborough Senior Center; Terri Locke, former school employee; Jim Priest of Northborough’s Whitney Place Assisted Living and Memory Care; and Christine D’Angelo, facilitator of the Senior Center’s DayBreak program.
There were 10 entries of baked goods with apples as their central ingredient. The delicacies ran the gamut from muffins and pies to breads, strudel and brownies. Criteria included presentation, creativity, taste and overall impression.
State Representative Harold Naughton (D-Worcester) was on hand to sample the goodies and Representative Danielle Gregoire (D-Marlborough) was a contestant.
Winners were announced at the senior luncheon immediately following the bake-off. This year there was a tie for first place – an apple torte baked by Mary Burns and mini apple cheesecakes baked by Nancy Berglund. Gregoire took second place with her apple cider donut bread pudding with bourbon salted caramel and cinnamon whipped cream.
“There was tie ….It’s never happened before, not in all the time I’ve been here and that’s been about 13 years,” Senior Center Director Kelly Burke said.
