The Edible Book Competition is back

The competition is a fun and creative event held every year at Ara. Going on for the past nine years and organised by Julie Humby, it is held annually on or around April 1 with the aim of creating edible themed books that are made entirely from food.

It is a highlight for many at the institute to show off their baking and culinary skills while also entertaining students and passersby.  

Starting in France in 2000 the event was created to commemorate the birthday of the famous French gastronome Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, a French lawyer known for his book called The Physiology of Taste. 

The event became popular and began to spread around the world with the hope of bringing people from different backgrounds and interests, including book lovers and artists to help celebrate their passion for creativity and learning.  

Regardless of age or skill level, anybody who wishes to enter the competition is welcome to do so. Except that the contribution must be an edible product inspired by a book or literary topic, there are no restrictions.

She says the impact of Covid was a setback for the event after taking three years off but has not stopped individuals from entering this year. 

There are a variety of categories in this year's competition from people's choice, most imaginative, most delectable and overall winner which is decided by a special panel of judges with guest judges such as local author Joe Bennett. 

While the idea of making and eating booked themed creations was making many hungry, organisers hoped that the overall message was not lost and were hoping that the event would continue to promote creativity and learning.

Humby hopes to carry on the competition and can't wait to see what next year's entries bring to the table.