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Highway 29 Road Ban- Page 23 Babas & Borshch - Page 10, 15 Heartland Ag. Days - Page 12, 13
LamontLeader om
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, Tuesday, August
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ichae teen ins Borshch Cook Off
By Michelle Pinon Editor
MICHELLE PINON PHOTOS
Nicolas Zachoda, centre, walked away with first prize and bragging rights in the Babas Borshch Cook Of f held on Sunday , August at the Andrew Community Centre. Runner Up was C leadership hopeful and MLA Thomas Lukaszuk, right, and third place was awarded to former Andrewite Matt Levicki. Both Levicki, last year s runner up, and Lukaszuk vowed to be back ne t year to win the big bowl and the championship title in the culinary event.
Babas Borshch Ukrainian Festival got a healthy financial shot in the arm from the province as organizers and supporters were presented with a cheque for more than , . Fort Saskatchewanegreville MLA Jacquie Fenske, third from right, with the assistance of MLA Thomas Lukaszuk, second from right, made the cheque to festival co-ordinator Hazel Anaka, on the far right. Also on hand for the presentation was Andrew Mayor Heather Tait, and Lamont County councillors Roy Anaka, far left, and an arawa.
Thirteen-year-old Nicholas achoda had a secr et weapon of his own that he used to earn the bragging rights and first place in the Babas Borshch Ukrainian Festival borshch cook off on Sunday, Aug. 24 in Andrew. The enterprising St. Michael ar ea chicken rancher actually put an egg in his borshch, and that special ingredient sealed the deal with celebrity judges Jackie Rae-Greening, Anastasia Martin-Stilwell, and Gail Hall. The grandson of last year’s winner Helen achoda, was all smiles, and fellow cook of f contestants and spectators couldn’t r esist photographing his one-ofa-kind embroidered apron that said: When it comes to borscht my Baba taught me everything she knows Fellow contestant and r unner up Thomas Lukas uk, was slightly disappointed with his second place finish, and vowed to return ne t year to win the title. Also promising to return was third place winner Matt Levicki. During a short interview with F W radio celebrity Jackie Rae-Greening, achoda said, Eggs ar e my thing. It was his grandpa who suggested adding the egg to the borshch. Last fall, Nicholas built a chicken co-op with his father , and now he has 4 chickens. Although, Nicholas says he will be selling 1 of them to his cousin. During the school year , Nicholas sold eggs to the teachers at Lamont High, which was a very successful venture. Second place winner Thomas Lukas uk had his secret weapon at his side, his mother Halina. Festival co-ordinator and cook off host Ha el Anaka, pointed out that Lukas uk was Polish, but wouldn’t hold that against him since it was an equal opportunity contest. Lukas uk laughed and said his strategy was to throw everything in the pot and pray that something good comes of it, much the same as politics and if he fails to become Alberta’s ne t premier, Lukas uk said maybe the Borshch thing could work out as Plan B . Continued on Page 2