Katelyn Jones’ culinary creation looked like an art project, carefully planned and executed.

But this artistic creation, called “scooters in a forest,” was edible, with the scooters made out of string cheese and the forest made out of Rice Crispie treats.

Jones was one of the cooks participating in the Rome News-Tribune Bake- Off on Thursday morning.

Area cooks brought a variety of foods for judges Tim Hensley of the Floyd County Schools, Debbie Ruland of Watters Landscape and Rome Mayor Evie McNiece to taste and judge before the annual Rome News-Tribune-sponsored Taste of Home Cooking School on Oct. 16.

With five delectable desserts to try, the judges started there, sampling treats ranging from a chocolate caramel cake with a marshmallow icing to mini pumpkin patch cheesecakes.

The appetizers, entrees and vegetable dishes gave the judges a variety of tastes for the palette, including a buffalo chicken dip to a creamy lima bean soup.

The winners will be announced in the Taste of Home Cooking School tab that will be published on Oct. 14.

In each category the first- place winner receives a $100 gift certificate to West Rome IGA, the second-place winner receives a $60 gift certificate and the third-place winner receives $40.

The Rome News-Tribune sponsors the cooking school, which features culinary specialist Michelle “Red” Roberts demonstrating how to prepare a range of recipes.

Advance tickets are $4 and are available at the newspaper office, 305 E. Sixth Ave., the Lindale Piggly Wiggly and the West Rome IGA. They’re also available online through The Forum’s website at www.forumevents.org. Tickets will be $6 at the door on the day of the event.

More than 1,000 tickets were sold for last year’s event, and each attendee received a gift bag full of coupons, recipe guides and issues of Taste of Home magazine. Door prizes and food samples also are part of the annual event.