Purple reigns at 2004 county fair

Jeff Benson

A pea-sized green grape drew cross-eyed glances in the produce area

at Centennial Farm. It might easily be the most-overlooked

first-place winner at the Orange County Fair.

Yes, as hard as it is to believe, the Orange County Fair even

gives an award for “Smallest Single Grape.”

Why not? Regardless of how small some of their grapes are, the

fair’s staffers are making a big deal out of working all of them into

the overall experience. The fair committee decided on this year’s

theme -- “Jammin’ at the Fair” -- not only to recognize an all-star

lineup of musical talents, but also to pay homage to California’s

grape harvesting and winemaking heritage, Community Relations

Director Joan Hamill said.

Each year, the committee decides on one natural product and

typically selects a fruit or vegetable. Last year it was tomatoes.

Next year it’ll be avocados. This year is for the grapes.

Grape-themed designs can be seen all over the fair -- in the wine

tasting at the Courtyard, in the kids’ contests and in the art

exhibits.

Italian chef Anne Carano didn’t stop there, as Tuesday she cooked

meat, onions, rice and garlic in a public demonstration, and rolled

them together into stuffed grape leaves.

“I bet you’ve never thought of using the leaves before,” she said

during the aromatic presentation in the Home & Hobbies Building. “But

you will now.”

The “Great Grapes” building works as a museum and starting point,

of sorts, giving a pictorial history of grape-stomping and winemaking

in California. The exhibit also features a gallery of watercolors,

drawings and “Fine Wines and Felines” paintings by Orange County

artist Marjorie Trout.

A patchwork quilt in the Home & Hobbies Building features

grape-themed designs by different contributors, while the entire

quilt uses only a dozen fabrics.

“I’ve been thrilled with the creative ways people have been

getting into this and using grapes,” Hamill said. “It’s amazing what

people can do with them.”

Even the employees are getting into the act. Dan Stephens,

director of the Visual Arts Building, proudly showed off his “Jammin’

Into the Fair” T-shirt and his purple and green shoes. Stephens

showed people to the building’s “Theme Award” winner -- a watercolor

painting of two children grinning after getting grape jam all over

their faces.

“Our staff alone really, really embraces the theme,” Hamill said.

“People started picking up theme-related trinkets the day after we

announced it last year, whether it was plates, purple shirts or

earrings.”

* JEFF BENSON is the news assistant and may be reached at (949)

574-4298 or by e-mail at jeff.benson@latimes.com.