By Staff
Jonathan Willis
Each morning, before the sun begins to rise, Carol Hutchins is busy preparing fresh, made from scratch biscuits for Franklin County residents to begin their day with.
Rolling dough and standing in front of a hot oven is not an easy job, but it's something this Russellville woman has done for years.
Yesterday morning, those years of practice paid off.
Hutchins, an employee at the Russellville Jack's since October, was chosen as the company's Grand Biscuit Champion Thursday morning.
Having already won regional contests at the local store and another in Double Springs, she traveled to Birmingham yesterday for the state championship.
"Out of 86 stores, they said I made the best biscuits," Hutchins said.
The honor came as no surprise to her co-workers.
"We are proud of her," assistant store manager Judy Ball said. "She takes pride in what she is doing."
Hutchins and two other regional winners gathered at the corporate office Thursday where each baked a pan of 15 biscuits.
A panel of four judges voted on the best by looking at the knowledge of tools used to make the biscuits as well as the height, size, shape, color and consistency of each.
"There is a lot they look at," Ball said.
Hutchins received a monetary gift and the title of Grand Biscuit Champion.
"I was excited when I found out I had won," she said.
Jack's officials said Hutchins was the first bake-off winner from Northwest Alabama.