Many would consider it rude to play with your food. That is unless, you’re participating in the Long Island Potato Festival. The event, which was held in Cutchogue, NY, included a mashed potato sculpting contest which was dominated by Hicksville’s Sarah Tsang, who won first place in the youth division.
Contestants were allowed to use any tools and materials to help bring their creation to life. Sculptures were left on display throughout the day and voted on by festival goers.
Tsang sculpted her mashed potatoes into a puppy (in honor of her dog) and used frozen vegetables to make eyes, a nose and a chew toy. The Hicksville High School 10th grader enjoys clay modeling, which made the contest a little easier.
“It didn’t take me very long. I’m used to making sculptures so it came easily. I was done in half the time I was given,” Tsang says.
Festival goers voted Tsang’s mashed potato pup the winner.
“I don’t usually go into competitions, I just wanted to have some fun. I didn’t think I was going to win,” Tsang says. “I’m planning to do it again next year.”
Tsang won a year’s worth of pasta chips.
Other contests at the Potato Festival included best potato salad, the great potato peeling race and mashed potato eating.
