AURELIUS - Smells of apple crisp, Mexican dips and hot fudge sundae cakes drifted through the middle of the Fingerlakes Mall on Saturday afternoon.

The Cornell Cooperative Extension hosted its annual “Produced in New York Show,” with tables for nearly 40 4-H members from Cayuga and Seneca counties to present their cooking skills for judges.

The event allows students from ages 6 to 17 to choose an item made in New York state to cook, to practice preparing the item at the 4-H office and at home, to prepare the item on a table for the public and for judges, and to present the item for taste testing.

The contestants are broken up into three age group categories: Clover Buds (ages 5-8), Juniors (ages 9-12) and Seniors (ages 13-19).

Linda Lunkenheimer, the Cayuga County 4-H assistant, said that the event has been taking place for as long as she could remember.

“Cayuga did this when my girls were little, back in the 80s,” she said. “I remember seeing great value in it then, because the event taught them how to cook properly, how to use the stove and how to measure out ingredients.”

Mall shoppers cruised by the long stretch of demonstrations, tasting the products, encouraging the cooks, and asking questions about the event and about joining 4-H. Numerous parents stood by to assist.

“I made a hot fudge sundae cake,” said 10-year-old home schooler Allison Parker. “I've made it every day this past week at home, and I still like eating it when I'm finished.”

Allison's father, Hal, chuckled beside her.

“Yes, she's practiced a lot,” he said. “We've almost been killed with cake. But, that's what 4-H is, and Allison's the last one in our line of kids to go through the program. I was in 4-H when I was little, and it makes a difference.”

The event will continue next year, and the 4-H leaders reminded all passersby that they are always looking for new participants.