You have to be in it to win it

...and I was (in it, that is.) Yes, you're looking at the Bronze Medal I won! Now imagine how I would have done were I not under the influence of several over-the-counter medications, 2 kilometers of tape stuck to my back and butt, and a whole lot of emotional madness! I'm feeling very proud today!

For what it's worth, I went with taste over degree of difficulty and here's what I cooked:

• Fragrant braised apricot chicken
• Moroccan Couscous: an orange infused mix of almonds, sultanas and cinnamon
• Green beans dressed with lemon zest, Persian feta and fresh mint
• Carrot ribbons cooked with fresh ginger and cardamom

I even had some of the judges approach me afterwards and say how great my dish tasted. For the record, I was one point away from a silver medal. At the end of the day, I don't really care about the medal that much - I care that I came, I cooked, I stayed upright.