Sandwich Fair Times 2026final - Flipbook - Page 21
The Sandwich Historical Society
Written by Roger Peterson
Located by 5 B’s BBQ is the Sandwich Historical Society’s trailer Memberships to help support the Stone
offering commemorative fair items, sun tea, water and coffee.
Mill Museum at 315 E. Railroad Street in
Sandwich are available at the booth for
This year’s toothpick holder is hunter green with a carnival glaze $15 per person. The museum is a threefinish imprinted with SANDWICH FAIR 2026. There is also a special story, four-floor museum of local and
red toothpick holder being offered this year. Toothpick holders area items, Hours are 1-4 p.m. most
were first offered by the group in 1992 and each year since in Sundays April through September.
different colors. A set of these can be viewed at the Fair Museum.
Also offered is a set of four colored coasters featuring Otto’s train
that ran from 1953-2025. This set would be a nice complement
to last year’s set of coasters. There are also two garden flags that
feature the windmill and Otto’s Train. This year’s poster 11” x 14” PRICES:
vintage inspired.
Coffee and Sun Tea................................................................................ $2
16oz Bottle of Water ...............................................................................$1
Toothpick Holder ..................................................................................$25
Set of 4 Coasters ................................................................................ $20
2026 Poster ............................................................................................. $5
Bag of 10 Previous Posters .................................................................. $5
DeKalb County History Book "Acres of Change" ......................... $10
Firing Up Family Legacy In The Kitchen
Eighty-one year old Doug
Brandow can turn to his
family for inspiration--and
honest criticism--going into
the cooking and baking
contests. His mom, Dorothy Brandow, was the
Sandwich Fair’s Grand
Champion Cook in 1950.
His grandmother, Margaret Meyer, won third place
that year. But Doug’s own
Dutch apple pie didn’t win
any accolades from his
son a few years ago.
the competition is 昀椀erce.
They really know what
they’re doing.” Personal
circumstances kept Doug
from entering last year,
but he intends to be back
this year.
Some recipes are his
own and others have been
in his family for generations. He makes a barbecue sauce he came up with
and a chili sauce that goes
back to his grandmother.
One recipe he acquired
on a trip. “After I retired
from my special education
administration position, I
traveled and took motor
That wasn’t for a contest, homes around the counbut Doug made sure not try from Indiana to the
to overcook the apples factory dealers. So I went
the next time. He credits around the country and
critiques like that for his Canada, and I was down
wins when he entered
food at the Sandwich Fair
two years ago. He’s been
cooking for family occasions a lot longer. “If they
didn’t
like
something,
they’d let me know and I
had to see what I could do
to make it right and get it
better,” Doug says.
“Dad, these apples are
too soft,” came the feedback. “They’re a little
mushy.”
fair. However, Doug never
wanted to work as a chef.
“I wouldn’t want to do it
as a business or anything
or work in a restaurant or
something because I just
“I picked up the reci- do it at my own pace.”
pe for Rosalynn Carter’s
peanut butter cake. And
I made that. Man, everybody in the family loved
that. That was, you know,
as far as getting positive
feedback, I got everyone.
So that’s one that I made
for the fair.”
in Plains, Georgia and I
had a day to kill.” Former
First Lady Rosalynn Carter
and former President Jimmy Carter were born in
Plains.
The 1950 prize led to a
job for Doug’s mom at
a Somonauk restaurant
called The Basket. That
provided vital income for
his family, who grew most
of their food and also
showed vegetables at the
In 2024, his cherry
pie got 昀椀rst prize. He
speaks humbly about it.
He doesn’t feel he has
to equal his mother’s
achievement 76 years ago
to honor her. “The 昀椀rst
time, I wasn’t in with any
high expectations. I know
© Nelson Publishing, Inc.
2026 Sandwich Fair Times
21
