Annual event goes over easy with competitors

By DOMINIKA MASLIKOWSKI/The Daily News
Wednesday, July 4, 2007 10:55 PM PDT

OATMAN - A man wearing cut-off denim shorts and a baseball cap saying, “White Trash” drove down Route 66 through the historic mining town of Oatman and called out his window to the people gathered over beers at a saloon.

“It ain't hot enough to fry an egg yet,” he said, adding that even though he was frying himself, it would be better to wait until 3 p.m. for the eggs.

Nearby the announcer for the town's annual Sidewalk Egg Fry said the temperature was 112 degrees.

As high noon drew nearer, spectators gathered in front of the sidewalk behind yellow caution lines. Competitors held their magnifying glasses at the ready, waiting for the countdown as they hovered over frying pans, solar panels and pie tins.

A gunshot signaled the start and the competitors cracked open their eggs. They had 15 minutes to fry them sunny-side-up. And they could only use heat from the sun.

Announcer Fred Eck of the Oatman Chamber of Commerce said he's dedicating this year's egg fry to the “troops in Iraq.” Later, competitor Frankie Viramontes of Needles held up a sign saying, “Support the troops, not the war.” She was asked to put it away when organizers told her they didn't want political statements or “propaganda.”

The father and son team of Robert and Mark MacAlpine of Willow Valley used a $250 Sun Oven lined with plastic for insulation and solar panels for heat. After seven minutes, the inside temperature of the oven had soared to 225 degrees and the eggs were slightly overdone.

When asked who'd get to eat the eggs, Robert MacAlpine pointed to his wife.

“I thought we were getting Chinese,” she said.

MacAlpine said he uses the oven several times a week to make anything from roasts and chicken to cookies and cakes, and says it's a good energy saver.

“Especially locally because I live here and we're in a prime spot for solar cooking,” he said. “You're using a renewable source of energy and not depending on electric or gas or any fuel for cooking.”

Competitors Pam Springsteen and Pam Paulson fried their eggs using a home-made contraption made from a trunk lined with cardboard and tin foil. Both were members of a Renaissance re-enactment group and had dressed up as pirates.

Springsteen said she'd used salt, pepper and cooking spray to season the eggs and bacon, and split the dish with her friend after the judge examined it.

“These are good,” she said. “And the power source was free.”

Competitor Bob Blumer, host of the cooking show “Glutton for Punishment,” was taping the event for an episode that will air next year on the Food Network.

Blumer's show already had him competing at shucking oysters in Virginia, flair bartending in Las Vegas and living on Guinness for five days in Ireland.

For the Oatman Egg Fry, Blumer attached more than a dozen mirrors to a round table that he pointed at a frying pan. Dressed in a Goodwill suit he spray-painted silver for “reflection,” he had a cup of tea before he began frying to give locals a fair chance.

When the fifteen minutes were up, the judges gathered over a table in the shade to deliberate the results. They scrutinized eggs for their look and consistency and the competitors for appearance and showmanship.

A team of three judges headed by State Rep. Nancy McLain, R-Bullhead City, gave out prizes to winners that included three-night stays at Laughlin casinos and paintings by local artists.

The pirate team of Pam Springsteen and Pam Paulson took second place in showmanship and cooking device, while Sun Oven cook Robert MacAlpine took third place in cooking. The television host Bob Blumer took first place in both categories.