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Bowdens clean up at grilled cheese contest
WEB TUD 2
Tud Bowden and his daughter Bryn, Platteville, are all smiles after winning first place in two categories at the Wisconsin Grilled Cheese Championship on April 21 in Dodgeville.

The Platteville team of Tud Bowden and his daughter, Bryn Bowden burned the competition during the inaugural Wisconsin Grilled Cheese Championship. The first annual event was held at the Iowa County Fairgrounds in Mineral Point on April 21.
The event, created by the Iowa County Economic Development Corporation to promote the state's dairy industry, drew more than 600 people. Attendees from at least six states were represented.
The competition included several categories in the professional and amateur divisions. From 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., about 60 cooks competed in various categories. Both amateurs and professionals had a chance to ply their spatulas and prove they could create the tastiest grilled cheese sandwich.
Admission was free to the general public and grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato soup, beer and wine were available for purchase all day. Live country music was provided by Ben Biser and Whiskey River.
Winners came from the far reaches of Wisconsin and from other states.
The Bowdens competed in the professional division, using the spice blend Wundoemus in one of their creations. They won the classic category and the classic plus one category. The classic category included bread, butter, and cheese, while the classic plus one category included those three ingredients, plus one more. In this case, it was Wundoemus.
Other categories included classic plus extras and a dessert class, among others.
It was a fun experience for dad and daughter. For their efforts, Tud and Bryn earned a trophy and bragging rights. And they will likely be looking to defend their titles next year.
• Jean Jones - The Dodgeville Chronicle, contributed to this article.