Mac and cheese competition to benefit local non-profit

Some important battles have taken place throughout history in Elmore County. The next important battle is the Cookin’ on the Coosa MacDown.

The “Mac and Cheese Cook-off” is benefiting the Family Sunshine Center but will settle a grudge between the Wetumpka fire and police departments if a judge doesn’t get in the way. But other cooks may beat them out.

It is the second year the organization has hosted Cookin’ on the Coosa. Last year it was a food truck festival at the Farmers Market. This year it moves to Merchant’s Alley from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 14. 

“We have totally revamped it,” Family Sunshine Center executive director Tay Knight said. “Last year it was really successful and fun. The weather was perfect. It was in the middle of October. We decided to stick with that time frame, but we decided to give it a new twist this year.”

Cookin’ on the Coosa is becoming competitive this year. Teams of professionals and amateurs are being recruited to cook five gallons of their favorite macaroni and cheese recipe. It is something Knight will not be doing.

“I can’t cook macaroni and cheese unless it is Kraft in a box,” Knight said. “I suspect nobody will cook that and enter it into this MacDown.”

Knight is confident the departments will cook their own recipes. But Mayor Jerry Willis isn’t so sure the playing field is equal for the city departments when it comes to cooking experience.

“The police department is going to be cooking?” Willis asked. “Normally they eat what the fire department has left over.”

Willis said he might just have to show the police and fire departments who is boss.

“I may enter that contest,” Willis said. “I’m pretty good at mac and cheese.”

The police department feels it has an edge as assistant chief Ed Reeves is one of the judges for the amateur competition but Knight is balancing the scales of justice.

“It will be a blind judging,” Knight said. “The judges will not know whose mac and cheese they are sampling.”

Knight is recruiting teams to enter the competition. Currently about 12 teams have entered the amaetur competition. 

“We would love for anyone to volunteer to enter, but they need to cook five gallons of mac and cheese,” Knight said. “We are looking for a total of 20 teams but may head up to 25. Just to make sure if someone needs to drop out.”

The is a professional category too for restaurants and chefs. Knight said the level of judges there will be suitable to the competition.

“We are getting judges from culinary schools and those who teach,” Knight said.

There will also be another jury for the MacDown. Those in attendance will get to cast a vote for a fan favorite.

Wristbands for the event are $10 and will allow the public to sample. The judges will select a first and second place in the professional and amateur categories.

All the fun and proceeds benefit the Family Sunshine Center.

According to its website, the organization is dedicated to ending family violence, sexual assault and human trafficking through comprehensive services and community-based outreach and prevention education. The Family Sunshine Center works to foster hope and healing through immediate response, safe haven in crisis, advocacy, counseling and support, so that victims may be empowered to lead safe, violence-free lives. The organization has service sites located in Autauga, Butler, Chilton, Crenshaw, Elmore, Lowndes and Montgomery counties.

For more information on the Family Sunshine Centers programs and services, visit www.familysunshine.org.