HOME & GARDEN SHOW KICKS OFF TODAY

Gordon Brookman was waiting when the Shoe Me Center doors opened at 5 a.m. Thursday.

"There were some other people behind me," said Brookman, of Edgewater Glass. "But, we were the first booth to set up."

Edgewater Glass was one of more than 120 home and garden dealers establishing exhibits for the 15th annual Southeast Missouri Home Builders Association Home & Garden Show, which opens at 3 today.

"We'll have an official inspection at 1 p.m. today," said Brookman, who also serves as coordinator for displays in the Show Me Center. "At that time, we'll make sure all exhibitors are ready, and that they have enough power for their displays and demonstrations."

Visitors to the three-day extravaganza this weekend will see everything from building materials such as roofing, siding, windows, tools and accessories, to swimming pools, outdoor furniture and lawn and garden equipment.

More than 11,000 people attended the 1994 show, and more are expected this year.

A number of "green thumb" seminars will be held throughout the show, discussing landscaping, spring planting, herb gardening and more.

"Bigger and Better" is the theme for the 1995 show, which has added two major visitor attractions -- the Missouri State Beef Cook-off and a regional quilt display.

More than $20,000 in prizes will be given to visitors of the show, including a homemade quilt, a $2,000 home remodeling package, and a $5,000 home show spending spree. Many other prizes will be presented by various exhibitors.

"We're expecting a large crowd," Brookman said.

Dave Reiminger agrees.

"People come out for this show," said Reiminger, president of the SEMO Home Builders. "There's something for everybody."

Ed McCormick is excited about the show.

McCormick and his wife, Veronica, own and operate Roommates and Signmaster.

"We'll be displaying two great new products," said McCormick, who is also looking forward to moving in new quarters at 358 S. Kingshighway next month."

The new quarters will increase McCormick's space from about 4,000 to 10,000 square feet.

One of the Roommates displays can be found outside the Show Me Center, a giant new fiberglass swimming pool. Inside, McCormick is displaying a "motion" veranda glider.

"This could be a show stopper," McCormick said. The covered glider has four chairs and a table, mounted on a glider that slides easily back and forth across a base.

Other displays inside the Show Me Center include room gallery setups to display kitchen and bath cabinets, wall coverings, and other type of furniture and appliances.

The Division of Planning Services for Cape Girardeau will display a new 18-x-24-inch city street map that will be available for purchase at the booth.

Recipes ranging from Greek pita pizza to farmer's market sirloin sandwiches will be prepared during the beef cook-off. Five contestants, selected from around the state, will prepare their recipes from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday on the Show Me Center mezzanine. Show visitors can sample award-winning beef recipes throughout the weekend.

The winner of the cook-off here, sponsored by the SEMO Missouri Cattlewomen's Association, receives more than $1,000 in money and prizes and will have a chance to compete in the National Beef Cook-Off in September in Little Rock, Ark.

The five contestants and their recipes for the Cape Girardeau show are Jacqueline Giunta of Kansas City, with her beef stir-fry over Ramen noodles; Lorraine Walmann of Gladstone, with her beef steaks Jamaica with tomato chutney; Marie Walls of Rolla, with her Greek pita pizza; Peggy Creed of Florissant, with her beef and endive salad, a dish that includes deli roast beef; and, Carol Amos of St. Louis, with her farmer's market sirloin sandwich with red onions, bell peppers and green beans.

Another new feature this year is the regional quilt exhibit with more than 40 quilts on display, including two traveling displays, which will showcase quilts of many materials, styles, themes and sizes. The regional quilt display will include a traveling display from Silver Dollar City, the Springs Industries-Springmaid Fabric display, and the Pilgrim-Roy display.

The Cape Girardeau River Heritage Quilters' Guild will demonstrate the art of quilting throughout the weekend.