PLEASANT POINT – Culinary arts students from Washington County Community College on Friday had breakfast treats prepared for dippers and nondippers alike during the eighth annual Polar Bear Dip, sponsored by WCCC.

The taste test was part of a classroom exercise as students prepared for the Maine Dairy Council’s culinary competition to be held at the Blaine House in Augusta later this year.

The students’ recipes will stand side by side with recipes prepared by other students from community colleges across the state. In years past, WCCC students have walked away with the top prize.

A half-hour before the dip, under a tent at the Pleasant Point Pier, culinary arts students, dressed in their crisp white chef’s coats and hats, stood ready to serve those standing in line. Small cups filled with samples were handed out and participants got to vote for the one they thought was best.

The challenge – a healthy breakfast snack for children.

“It had to be full of potassium, protein, and low in fat and healthy,” instructor Marie Emerson said. “It has to be appealing to kids, and finally, it has to be handheld.”

Among the snacks was a whole grain waffle stuffed with yogurt, ricotta cheese, apples, blueberries, cranberries and a hint of orange.

“The students have come up with some pretty clever ideas,” Emerson said.

Another student created a French toast breakfast made out of homemade cinnamon bread that was rolled up and stuffed with a pumpkin-yogurt filling.

The third student creation was phyllo dough stuffed with turkey sausage and low-fat yogurt cheese filling.

At the end of the line was an eclair filled with chipped beef, yogurt and cream cheese.

“Again everything has been modified,” Emerson said. “We are not using whole eggs; we are using egg whites. We are using whole grains and everything. So there is lots of protein, calcium and lots of vitamins.”

After the taste test, it was time to vote, a daunting task since all of the breakfast offerings were delicious.

Once the ballots were tallied, there was only a one-vote difference between the first- and second-place contestants.

“The winner is Sherry Johnson of Robbinston,” Emerson announced after the plunge. “She won with the Berry Berry Good Waffle.”

Coming in second was the pumpkin French toast breakfast; third place, the phyllo pocket; and fourth place, the chipped beef eclair.

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