Judging the Science of Gingerbread

Michele StuevenUncategorized

L.A. KingsHoliday explosionGingerbread vs. sugar cookie Christmas chessOne of four gingerbread displays at Discovery CubeNoah's ArtEight Crazy NightsSpaghetti roofs and dried bean chimneysCritter WonderlandCritter WonderlandAmerican Culinary Federation VP judge Bill YeeTough competitionHoliday worldChristmas Millennium Falcon in SpaceGo DodgersCamp GingerbreadCamp GingerbreadFirst Death Star Battle Coaster Orangutan ConservancyAmerican Culinary Federation chef and judge Maria Luiza American Culinary Federation chef and judge Maria Luiza Inside the Winter HouseCamping out Ninja Gingas High anxiety

A winter wonderland of 96 gingerbread creations, including a Christmas Millennium Falcon in Space, Ninja Gingas and the First Death Star Battle Coaster landed  in Lake View Terrace this week for Discovery Cube’s annual contest, part of the The Science of Gingerbread fun that runs through January 5.

Judges included American Culinary Federation chef Maria Luiza​ and its vice president  Bill Yee​, Porto’s pastry chef Matthew Chamussy, Cake Monkey Bakery executive chef and partner Elizabeth Belkind, and L.A. Weekly food editor Michele Stueven.

Scores from participants as young as 4 years old were tallied on various criteria, including best holiday theme, best by organization and best by a member of the cube.  Results will be posted online December 16 at la.discoverycube.org.

The Science of Gingerbread event teaches kids what holds a structure together and what makes the gingerbread man run by creating the perfect escape vehicle. They can also invent their own food model to learn about the engineering design process in the Creative Edible Mystery Competition. On the weekends, guests can test their architectural skills at the Tallest Edible Tower Challenge and the bakery is open daily for cookie decorating.

Here’s a spicy tour of the cube and the challenging job of judging  it’s talented entrants, all photos by Michele Stueven.

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