A 14-year-old ninth grader at Central Catholic HS in Allentown captured a total of six ribbons for baking at the 2014 Great Allentown Fair. Danica Kercimar Schofer beat out peers and adult bakers to take home three first-place and three second-place ribbons in nearly half of the 13 culinary contests held during the seven days of this year's event.

The Schnecksville teen, who credits her grandmother for inspiring her, won blue ribbons for her "Mocha Hot Fudge Brownies," "Raspberry White Chocolate Angel Food Cake with Incredible Egg White Icing," and "No Bake Chocolate Espresso Pie." Her chocolate cake, Pampered Chef cookies and apple pie took second places.

Danica said she has been baking her whole life. Asked how she was able to bake when she was only one-year-old, she answered, "I helped."

Julia Intrepido-Kmetz has been culinary superintendent for the competitions for 15 years, and she says it is rare for a young girl, such as Danica, to win so many ribbons.

The winning PA Preferred chocolate cake, chosen from among 20 entries, was baked by Catherine Ache of Bethlehem. By winning this contest, she earned the right to compete at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in January.

PA Preferred is a statewide agricultural marketing program supported by the State Department of Agriculture to identify and promote food and agricultural products grown, produced or processed in Pennsylvania. Secretary of Agriculture George Greig was on hand for the PA Preferred cake competition, and offered a few remarks about the importance of farming and county fairs, which he called an "economic boon" to the state.

"One out of seven jobs in Pennsylvania is related to agriculture, which provides $68 billion in economic stimulus," Greig said in a short interview. "It is the number one industry in the state."

Other blue ribbon winners were:

Mary Ellen Miller, Orweigsburg, "Leafy Peach Pie with Peach Wine Sauce"

Deb Gruber, Slatington, "Hungry Man's Wreath," Lupus Awareness Contest

Margaret Schirmacher, Whitehall, "Creamy Crab and Clam Soup," Clover Hill

Vineyards and Winery Cooking with Wine Seafood Soup Contest

Doris Harper, Allentown, "Shoo Fly Pie"

David Gibson, "Coconut Pineapple Dream," Bisquick Quick CreationsSharon Kurtz, Emmaus, "Chocolate Covered Cookie Cups." Pampered Chef CookiesErma Sherer, Hellertown, "The Apple Pie"

Culinary winners are selected by independent, volunteer judges. On average there are 10 different judges for each contest, and they do two separate tastings before deciding on the winners. Bethany Luckenbach of Walnutport has judged the apple pie competition for 11 years, but on the first day of the fair she was helping out with cakes. "It really isn't any different," she explained. "Just different flavors. It [judging] is one of my favorite things to do all year."

Other second-place winners:

Hannah Toomey, Allentown (2)

Julie Hamilton, Northampton (2)

Marie White, Lehighton

Sharon Kurtz, Emmaus

Patricia Christenson, Bethel (2)

Cheryl Doll, Bethlehem

Amanda Kurtz, Emmaus

Third-place winners:

Sharon Kurtz, Emmaus (2)

Mary Ellen Miller, Orwigsburg

Kathy Wright, Schnecksville

Carrie Gerencher, Allentown

Ian Royer, Schnecksville (2)

Sara Kurtz, Emmaus

Lisa Kurtz, Emmaus

Catherine Ache, Bethlehem

Debra Lilly, Bethlehem

Rachel Jeffery, Allentown

Eva Siebert, Allentown

Deb Gruber, Slatington