IDDA GETTING DECORATING CONTEST ENTRIES

MADISON, Wis. -- The International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association here is currently accepting entries in the preliminary round of its third annual Cake Decorating Challenge.

set for June 14 to 16 in Philadelphia.

Store-level associates from three supermarkets will compete for first, second and third prizes on the show floor at the expo.

Supermarkets are currently running their own cake-decorating competitions to choose the contestant they will enter in the IDDA Challenge, an IDDA spokeswoman said. Entry forms accompanied by photographs of the decorator's work must reach the IDDA no later than Feb. 13, 1998.

Entry forms can be obtained by calling Cristie Finbraaten at the IDDA, (608) 238-7908. From those entries, the IDDA will choose three finalists to compete at the seminar and expo.

At the expo, materials and tools will be supplied by the IDDA. Transportation, lodging and meals for each contestant also will be provided.

At the expo, there are three phases to the challenge. On Sunday, June 14, each contestant will decorate enough cakes to fill one bakery case. On Monday, each contestant will decorate a wedding cake. On Tuesday, each will decorate three cakes of their choosing from these categories: special occasion, theme/event and decorator's choice.

At the IDDA's 1997 Cake Decorating Challenge in Orlando, Fla., Sandy Horvath, Publix Super Markets, Lakeland, Fla., took top honors. Phyllis Brady, Harps Food Stores, Springdale, Ark., and Gail Blackburn, Giant Eagle, Butler, Pa., came in second and third, respectively.