Speaking of Jam. . .

Feel like being judged by me? And, well, several better known others? Thanks to the fine folks at Punk Domestics and the Oakland Eat Real Festival, I'll be helping to judge their upcoming jam competition. There is still time to enter and I'll include a link to details below, including the very impressive lists of judges for all of the categories. I wonder: could we have the leftover pickles and infusions to help with the expected sugar high? Though this tweet makes me wonder:

BlueBottleSweet: @amybcleary @punkdomestics I was a jam judge last year. Many gross, a few lovelies and, a clear winner. Prepare for lots of jalapeño jam.

For the full list of rules and submission guidelines, please visit http://eatrealfest.com/event/Oakland/California/2011/make-contests.

Here's the event press release:

Eat Real Fest and Punk Domestics present 2011 DIY Contests
Two new categories announced 

Eat Real Fest, the urban street food festival, and Punk Domestics, the premier content and community site for DIY foodies, have joined forces to present this year's DIY food contests. Bay Area amateur preservationists and homesteaders may submit their handmade foods in five categories, including two new categories introduced this year.
As with years past, contestants may submit their homemade preserves, pickles and home brews. New this year is the opportunity to submit honey from their own hives, as well as a new infusions and liqueurs category.
Submissions will be tasted and judged by panels of esteemed local professionals, media figures and bloggers, all experts in their respective fields. Contest submissions may be dropped off at the eat real offices on September 21-23, and judging will occur September 24, with the winner announced at 6:30 pm that evening. The list of panel judges includes:
Homebrewing: 
Bryan Hermannsson, Co-Founder/Mad Brewer, Pacific Brewing Laboratory
Johnny Van Houten, Brewer, Van Houten Brewery
Patrick Horn, Pacific Brewing Laboratories
Regan Long, Founder/Brewer, Local Brewing Co.
Richard Brewer-Hay, Brewer, Elizabeth Street Brewery
Tiila Abbitt and David Buckingham, FemALEist
Honey: 
Amy Sherman, Blogger, Cooking with Amy
Bryon Waibel, Her Majesty's Secret Beekeeper
Donna Suh Wageman, Owner, Pot + Pantry
Nicole Kramer Easterday, Founder, FARMcurious
Rachel Hoff, Owner/Blogger, Dog Island Farm
Stephanie Rosenbaum, Author, "Honey from Farm to Table"
Infusions and liqueurs: 
Anita Crotty, Writer/Photographer, Married ...with Dinner
Chaz French, Chef, Baker, Writer
Jesse Hirsch, Food writer, Bay Citizen
John Wight, Wine Steward/Sommelier, InterContinental San Francisco
Michael Cecconi, Instructor of Mixology at The Institute of Culinary Education, NYC
Michael Procopio, Author, Food for The Thoughtless
Pickles: 
John Birdsall, Writer
David Hawk, Publicity Manager, Food & Drink, Chronicle Books
Emily Olson, Co-founder, Foodzie
Jonathan Kauffman, Restaurant Critic, SF Weekly
Lisa Kramer, last year's winner
Karen Solomon, Author, "Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It" and "Can it, Bottle It, Smoke It"
Vanessa Barrington, Author, "DIY Delicious," Co-Author, "Heirloom Beans"
W Blake Grey, Food Editor, SF Weekly
Preserves: 
Amy Cleary, Blogger, winebookgirl.blogspot.com
Anita Chu, Author and Blogger, Dessert First
Dianne Jacob, Author, "Will Write for Food"
Heidi Kooy, Blogger and Urban Farmer, Itty Bitty Farm in the City
Irvin Lin, Blogger, Eat the Love
June Taylor, Owner, June Taylor Company
Paige Bayer, Founder, SV Local Market (www.svlocalmarket.com/)
Shae Irving, Prizewinning Jam Maker and Blogger, Hitchhiking to Heaven
Tabitha Stroup, Chef and Founder, Friend in Cheeses Jam Co.