Futulli’s wins ‘mansion’ competition

NEWPORT – Fatulli’s Gourmet Bakery and Deli of Middletown won the $1,000 first prize in the first annual Newport Mansions Gingerbread Mansion competition at The Breakers.
It’s one of five gingerbread mansions that will be on display in the kitchen of The Breakers for viewing by visitors through January 5, 2014.
Fatulli’s creation of a tabletop-sized replica of Rosecliff, complete with spun sugar windows and animated dancers in the ballroom, won over the judges with its detail and creativity.
Coming in second place and winning $750 was a model of The Elms done by Gerry DuPont of Edible Creations by Gerry in Little Compton and Westport, Mass. The $500 third prize was won by the Culinary Baking and Pastry Arts Program at Bristol Community College in Fall River, Mass.
Honorable mentions were awarded to Russell Morin Fine Catering of Newport for its model of Marble House, and to Clements Marketplace Bake Shop of Portsmouth for Chateau-sur-Mer.
Judges for the competition were food expert and chef Claudine Pépin; pastry chef Mark Soliday of Confectionery Designs, who is also a pastry arts instructor at Johnson & Wales University; and Preservation Society CEO and Executive Director Trudy Coxe.
Entries were required to be constructed and composed entirely of edible material, which besides gingerbread could include royal icing, candies, gum paste, fondant, pastillage, chocolate, isomalt, cast sugar, gelatin and press sugar. They were judged on five criteria: overall appearance; creative interpretation of the given mansion; inclusion of the “Let it Snow” theme; degree of difficulty; and precision of execution.
Christmas at the Newport Mansions will run through Jan. 5, 2014. The Breakers, The Elms and Marble House are all decorated for the holidays and open for tours daily (except Christmas Day).
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.NewportMansions.org.

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