Glen Helen inmates strut their cookin' skills
The Glen Helen Rehabilitation Center is one of the county's baking hubs.
The new state-of-the-art breadmaker can bake 1,400 loaves an hour -- enough to produce all the bread for San Bernardino County's entire jail system.
On Thursday, the baking skills of the facility's inmates was on full display during the annual bake-off. Four inmates participated, each preparing a baked good for a judging panel of five of the county's most eminent individuals.
"This is a very big step for them," Martha Green, owner of Dough'Lectibles and The Eating Room in Redlands, said during the event.
The new state-of-the-art breadmaker can bake 1,400 loaves an hour -- enough to produce all the bread for San Bernardino County's entire jail system.
On Thursday, the baking skills of the facility's inmates was on full display during the annual bake-off. Four inmates participated, each preparing a baked good for a judging panel of five of the county's most eminent individuals.
"This is a very big step for them," Martha Green, owner of Dough'Lectibles and The Eating Room in Redlands, said during the event.
Green, who employs former inmates, was mistress of ceremonies.
The bake-off was part of the sheriff's Inmate Rehabilitation Through Occupational and Academic Development, or "Inroads," program.
More than 80 inmates take baking classes at the Glen Helen jail, earning their food handler's card, said bakery instructor Kathryn Betancur.
"If you help one person not come back to jail, then this program is working," she said.
The judges were sheriff's Capt<. Larry Brown, Assistant Sheriff Warren Nobles, Assistant Presiding Judge Doug Elwell, 5th District county Supervisor Josie Gonzales and Assistant Public Defender Lauri Ferguson.
The five were unanimous in their choice of a winning item: the cranberry cheesecake that was a joint effort by the four contestants.
"I thought it was the best cheesecake I've ever had," Ferguson said.
Gonzales seemed to really enjoy herself, meeting the inmates and taking a stab at comedy with a police-themed joke to entertain those who attended the event.
"This was good," she said of the desserts.
Chrisdina Tucker, one of the participants, made a pumpkin chocolate cheesecake pie that was one of the judges' favorites.
"It looks gorgeous, and it's delicious," the 32-year old from Helendale said of the pie with a decorative crust and chocolate shavings on top.
Tucker said she has long been a fan of pumpkin pie and makes one every Thanksgiving.
One of the surprise hits was Juanita Clifford's holiday coffee cake.
"I've learned a lot of new things since I've been here," said the 41-year-old Barstow woman.
"It makes me want to cook -- maybe a career or something," she said.
This year's competition had all female contestants. Last year, the contestants were all men.
The baking program is the most successful of the county's programs at helping inmates find jobs once they leave, said Miriam Gomez<NO1> cq<NO>, programs director for the county's jails.
She said she's seen a number of men who worked in construction or as truck drivers transition into baking after picking up skills at the Glen Helen facility, like creating ornate decorations on baked goods.
"Nobody sits in this jail," Gomez said.
The other two competitors were Cynthia Garcia, a 54-year-old Rialto woman who made a red velvet cake, and Tracy Wyman, a 39-year-old Glendora woman who made white chocolate cranberry bread.
jason.pesick@inlandnewspapers.com
The bake-off was part of the sheriff's Inmate Rehabilitation Through Occupational and Academic Development, or "Inroads," program.
More than 80 inmates take baking classes at the Glen Helen jail, earning their food handler's card, said bakery instructor Kathryn Betancur.
"If you help one person not come back to jail, then this program is working," she said.
The judges were sheriff's Capt<. Larry Brown, Assistant Sheriff Warren Nobles, Assistant Presiding Judge Doug Elwell, 5th District county Supervisor Josie Gonzales and Assistant Public Defender Lauri Ferguson.
The five were unanimous in their choice of a winning item: the cranberry cheesecake that was a joint effort by the four contestants.
"I thought it was the best cheesecake I've ever had," Ferguson said.
Gonzales seemed to really enjoy herself, meeting the inmates and taking a stab at comedy with a police-themed joke to entertain those who attended the event.
"This was good," she said of the desserts.
Chrisdina Tucker, one of the participants, made a pumpkin chocolate cheesecake pie that was one of the judges' favorites.
"It looks gorgeous, and it's delicious," the 32-year old from Helendale said of the pie with a decorative crust and chocolate shavings on top.
Tucker said she has long been a fan of pumpkin pie and makes one every Thanksgiving.
One of the surprise hits was Juanita Clifford's holiday coffee cake.
"I've learned a lot of new things since I've been here," said the 41-year-old Barstow woman.
"It makes me want to cook -- maybe a career or something," she said.
This year's competition had all female contestants. Last year, the contestants were all men.
The baking program is the most successful of the county's programs at helping inmates find jobs once they leave, said Miriam Gomez<NO1> cq<NO>, programs director for the county's jails.
She said she's seen a number of men who worked in construction or as truck drivers transition into baking after picking up skills at the Glen Helen facility, like creating ornate decorations on baked goods.
"Nobody sits in this jail," Gomez said.
The other two competitors were Cynthia Garcia, a 54-year-old Rialto woman who made a red velvet cake, and Tracy Wyman, a 39-year-old Glendora woman who made white chocolate cranberry bread.
jason.pesick@inlandnewspapers.com
A response:
This is such a positive article for the bakery and bakers. They should sell the product to the public. I certainly would buy it. Good job.
Deanna Adams