For the past 34 years, Kennett Square, PA. host its annual Mushroom Festival that draws mushroom aficionados from across the country (Saturday, Sept. 7, and Sunday, Sept. 8).
This weekend event features a parade, live music, dancing in the street, a classic car show, rides, games and all your favorite carnival foods. Over 200 vendors and more than 100,000 people pass through the usually sleepy little town of Kennett Square, known as the mushroom capital of the world. It’s everything mushroom.
Chefs from all over the region trek to witness the Amateur Mushroom Cook-off. This is where they borrow ideas whipped up by us common folk and put their little twist on a dish that eventually makes its way to their menu (as told to me by a well know Philly Chef).
But I go for the food!
I start off with the fried mushrooms, then to quench the hot oil that exploded in my mouth, on to coat the palette a creamy mushroom soup, then the Shitake mushroom risotto, Cremini mushroom pate, stuffed Portabella with crab meat, oyster mushroom empanadas, washed down with a homemade root beer right from the tap on an old wooden barrel.
I’m stuffed but I’ll be back next year.
