I apologise for once again raising our annual family cooking competition but on this occasion, it is imperative.

Happily I can report that this year I finally pulled it off.

Yep, Rissole-off champion for 2014 - and bragging rights for an entire 12 months.

I have to thank a couple of readers who provided me with some interesting recipes which I think helped considerably to get me home.

As much as I would love to share the winning recipe, I think I will keep it locked away with a thought to further fine-tuning it for next year.

I also speak on ABC Radio Central West at 10.30am on Friday mornings and a lot of listeners called in to offer me some help in securing the much-sought after trophy.

A little background...

We had the (equal) most number of cooks this year - 24 in all!

So competition (and sledging) was fierce.

There were eight barbecues in use to prepare the rissoles for judging.

And there were 17 tough judges who sampled all of the entries.

They were not all impressed with their gigantic task, offering some scathing remarks:

“Don’t give up your day job.”

“No need to apply for Masterchef.”

“Yuk”

“Was that toothpaste or a rissole?”

“Just the thing for cleaning my teeth.”

But there was also plenty of praise.

“Yummy.”

“Very Noice.”

“My favourite.”

This was the 14th year of the family competition and it just goes from strength to strength.

The announcement of the last placed cook is as eagerly awaited as the winner.

This year, it was one of the men who usually finish in the top five, but other distractions played a part (his excuse) so he  had to complete the Walk of Shame.

He’s a well known local too, but I won’t name him.

Nevertheless his ‘dial’ will go up on the Wall of Shame.

The adjudicators slowly eliminated the cooks (much to the enjoyment of everyone) until it came down to the last five - then the last two.

Surprisingly it was Beto (our daughter’s partner not long out from Brazil) and myself who were the last men standing.

So we felt it wouldn’t matter who emerged champion, we were both pretty chuffed.

But I have to say when the winner was crowned, I felt on top of the world.

(It was the second time too, following on from 2007.  Since then though, it hasn’t been pleasant, finishing mid or bottom of the field).

The trophy stayed with me all night - bed and all!!!

Sorry to rave on, but it was a very special day.

Great fun and a wonderful chance for a huge family reunion of aunts, uncles, mums, dads, nieces and nephews.

Can’t wait to defend the title in 2015.

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I’m sure the above rant will  probably annoy a lot of people.

So it is an appropriate time to comment on a new study which reveals the Most Irritating Things About Men.

I have no doubt I probably invented most of them!  

Or at least have tried them!

Apparently the most irritating thing about men that upsets women (even encouraging them  to want to cheat) is a poor sense of humour.

Of those polled, 73 per cent revealed their partner's irritating qualities as the main reason.

The results varied as to which common irritating behaviour was the most troublesome.

However, a poor sense of humour was the most common answer with 19% of the votes.

Lack of understanding was in second position with 16%, and “not being good in bed” took a close third with (14%).

The last two positions on the list were being a ‘mummy’s boy’ (5%), and being stingy (4%).

The Top 10 Most Irritating Things were:

1. Lack of sense of humour - 19%.

2. Lack of understanding - 16%.

3. Not being good in bed -14%.

4. Lack of good manners - 11%.

5. Being lazy and lack of plans -10%.

6. He doesn’t care about his appearance and he has poor hygiene - 9%

7. Not being successful - 7%

8. Being a disaster; not paying attention to details, obligations etc - 5%

9. Not cleaning up after himself and being 9a mummy's boy -  5%.

10. Being stingy - 4%.

Tough school!!

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THOUGHT FOR  THE WEEK:

"When your workmates give you fantastic secret ingredients for your rissole recipe, use them and win!"