A Taste of Tradition: Heritage Cooking Contest Celebrates 50 Years

By Maggie Gaddy

From family favorites to creative twists on a Southern staple, chicken salad spreads filled tables as cooks gathered in Montgomery Sept. 10 to celebrate five decades of food, fellowship and tradition.

This year marked the Alabama Farmers Federation's 50th Heritage Cooking Contest, a longstanding tradition showcasing culinary skills of Federation members while highlighting the state's commodities. It's hosted annually by the Federation Women's Leadership Division.

The contest dates back to 1975 when Mrs. Arthur Calvert of Cullman County took home the inaugural prize. The competition was cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19, pushing the golden contest to 2026 where 26 competitors celebrated with chicken salad recipes.

Montgomery County's Katie Hicks brought the heat and took home first place with her Kickin' Chicken Salad.

Boasting jalapeños for spice and bacon and celery for crunch, Hicks said the recipe is unique, easy to prepare and flavorful.

"It's my husband's favorite chicken salad," Hicks said. "You can buy all the ingredients from the grocery store, or you grow your own jalapeños like we did. I wanted to wow the judges."

Hicks said she felt a rush of excitement when her name was called as the winner.

"It's very special to win, especially since it is the 50th year…that's something to be proud of," said Hicks, reflecting on the women who have come before her. "There are ladies here who have been cooking longer than I have. I have learned to cook through my parents and being in the kitchen as a child, and now from my husband. We have a Godly kitchen, and it's a joy to allow others to enjoy our cooking as well."

As the winner, Hicks received $150. Linda Daniels of Crenshaw County netted $100 as second place for Chicken Salad Roll-Ups, while Etowah County's Kasey Gross earned $50 and third place for Maloy's Filipino Chicken Salad.

Hicks, Daniels and Gross are just a small sample of lovely ladies who have brought their family recipes to the Capitol City to share with fellow farmers over 50 years.

Federation Women's Leadership Division Director Kim Earwood said the Heritage Cooking Contest is the heart of many county Women's Leadership Committees.

"It's more than just winning recipes," Earwood said. "It's generations of chefs coming together to share their love for agriculture and each other. Fifty years is a long tradition. We're proud to continue the heritage women set before us in the 70s."

Keynote speaker Sarah Jones served up encouragement and homemade pastries during the event while talented judges carefully tasted each entry.

Jones and her husband, Howard, own Wild Flour Bakery in Waverly. Their inspiring story touched the crowd and reflected the passing of the torch from one generation to the next.

Following judges' critiques, attendees sampled an array of classic chicken salad recipes to unique creations. Each competitor brought their own flavor and personal touch to the Southern dish, said Federation State Women's Leadership Committee Vice Chair Dixie Black.

"There's something special about knowing this tradition has brought people together for 50 years," said Black, a Butler County farmer. "Every recipe tells a story, and together, those stories have become part of our organization's history. We have some very talented cooks."