NASHVILLE - The four finalists in the 47th Pillsbury Bake-Off were announced this evening, and three of the four finalists came from the South.
Although Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama each had entrants in the contest, which featured 100 contestants, none were among the final four.
The recipe categories with one finalist chosen in each were:
• Amazing Doable Dinners: Cuban-Style Sandwich Pockets by Courtney Sawyer of Bellingham, Wash.
• Simply Sweet Treats: Peanutty Pie Crust Clusters by Beth Royals of Richmond, Va.
• Savory Snacks and Sides: Creamy Corn-Filled Sweet Peppers by Jody Walker of Madison, Miss.
• Weekend Breakfast Wows: Chocolate Doughnut Poppers by Megan Beimer of Alexandria, Va.
The ultimate winner, however, will not be named until December. For the first time in Bake-Off history, the public can vote for the $1 million recipe. When tabulated, the public vote will account for 45 percent of the total needed to determine the winner, while votes from the panel of 12 judges who selected the finalists will account for the remaining 55 percent.
To cast a vote, log onto vote.bakeoff.com and follow the instructions. Votes may be submitted through Dec. 2. The winner will be announced on "The Chew" TV show on Dec. 3 at 1 p.m.
In addition to the $1 million grand prize, the winner will receive $10,000 in appliances from GE. The three remaining finalists will each win $10,000 plus $3,000 in GE appliances.
Though Tennessee's contestant, Tom Piantek from Brentwood, did not place among the top four to vie for the grand prize for his Fiesta Baked Tamales, he was one of only five men participating in this year's Bake-Off.