The city’s sages in the secrets of great cheese dip and whole hog roasting showed off last weekend, at the 6th annual World Cheese Dip Championship, held last Saturday, Oct. 22, at the River Market pavilions, and the 4th annual Arkansas Times Whole Hog Roast on Sunday, Oct. 23. Culinary experts (like the Times’ Max Brantley, who judged in the cheese dip contest) and amateurs got to pick the best in lots of categories. This year, a brewer one top hog roaster and a million-time amateur group won yet again in the cheese dip contest.
Professional cheese dip champeens were Heights Taco and Tamale, the Big Dipper top prize and the People’s Choice; Stoby’s, Little Dipper Award; Raduno, best incorporation of a meat product; and Black Angus, best booth decoration.
Amateurs bringing home the Velveeta were perennial winners The ConcheeZtadors, Big Dipper and People’s Choice awards; One Cheesy Couple, Little Dipper Award; and That’s what “Cheese” Said, best incorporation of a meat product. Flyway Brewing Co. won for most innovative cheese dip.
Big Dipper winners took home $1,000; Little Dipper
and People’s Choice winners got $500; People’s Choice runners up won $250; and all got trophies. The championship benefits Harmony Health Clinic.
Handsome tiled ceramic hogs and hog behinds crafted by Garage Sale Queen Kandy Jones, went to Whole Hog Roast professional contestants Lost Forty Brewing Co., first place; Swinetology 101, second place, and the Samantha’s and Cheers team, third place. Amateur winners, who roasted pork butts, were Kermit’s Ex, first place; Pop Smoke BBQ, second place; and Argenta Butt Rubbers, third place.
The Whole Hog Roast proceeds benefited the Argenta Arts District.