Scrapple Festival for RTM

[rlibkind]

A Scrapple Festival will be held later this year at the Reading Terminal Market. RTM manager Paul Steinke said no date has been set yet, but it's likely to be in April.

Paul hopes to have representatives from the various scrapple makers (Habersette, Rapa, Hatfield, etc.) set up exhibits, and, of course, cooked scrapple will be offered to visitors. Yum.

That's fine as it goes. But what sort of events and/or demonstrations would you hold if you were programming a scrapple festival. Here are some of my ideas:

Hold the event in the fall when scrapple-making season is in full swing. Bring in a live hog. Butcher it and make scrapple from scratch. And bloodwurst and headcheese as long as we're at it. Maybe Gallagher could be invited to lead the demonstration. (Bring plenty of plastic sheets.)

How about a panel discussion? Participants could include William Woys Weaver, author of "Country Scrapple: An American tradition", and Philip M. Parker, author of "The 2007-2012 Outlook for Headcheese, Meat Loaves, Scrapple, Puddings, Chili Con Carne, and Jellied Goods from Purchased Carcasses in Greater China". Weaver's book is available at Amazon at prices ranging from $3.48 to $15.95. Parker's paperback sells for $495.00. Yes, $495.00. And worth every penny, if you're a scrapple manufacturer planning to globalize your markets.

One potential topic for this erudite panel: Toppings - Pancake syrup or ketchup? Perhaps there could also be a discussion of the proper fat for frying scrapple: Butter, Lard or Corn Oil?

Invite Sonya Thomas, Takeru Kobayashi and our local favorite, Philadelphian Bob Shoudt (who holds the I.F.O.C.E. title for shoo-fly pie at 9.25 pounds in eight minutes), to compete in a scrapple-eating contest.

Okay what ideas do you have for a Scrapple Festival?

[Andrew Fenton]

Hold the event in the fall when scrapple-making season is in full swing. Bring in a live hog. Butcher it and make scrapple from scratch. And bloodwurst and headcheese as long as we're at it. Maybe Gallagher could be invited to lead the demonstration. (Bring plenty of plastic sheets.)

Wow, I can only imagine the squealing (no pun intended) that would result if somebody killed and butchered a hog in the Reading Terminal Market. Now that would get some publicity. Which is always a good thing.

Personally, I'd like to see the application of molecular gastronomy to scrapple. I mean, everybody has been eating sous-vide'd scrapple for years now; it's pretty much a cliche. But where are the scrapple foams, the compressed air infused with scrapple essence? We've gotta take it to the next level.

[Holly Moore]

How about inviting local chef's and butchers to mix up and serve their blends of scrapple? It would also be interesting to compare scrapple to liver mush, goetta and any other variations out there.

[JanMcBaker]

And who says scrapple has to be just for breakfast? How about scrapple truffles?

But seriously....as for cooking method, I remember when Habersett's scrapple came with a layer of fat on it! No need to add any other fat to the pan for cooking. This thread also reminds me of my Dad talking about being in the Army. I forget where he was stationed at the time, but it wasn't local, and there was going to be scrapple for breakfast one day. Others had been to breakfast before him, and they were complaining to him about how awful the scrapple was! This was after Dad had told the other guys that they would love it. Well, turns out the cooks, who were completely unfamiliar with scrapple, had it in big hunks, sitting in its fat in steam trays! Dad showed them how to cook it properly on the grille.

As for ideas for a scrapple festival, how about any 'go-withs'? Scrapple and eggs of course, and I've had them with waffles or pancakes. Also at dinner-- goes well with baked beans.

Local chefs and their versions of scrapple sounds like a good idea. Or maybe variations on a theme-- scrapple that's not pork or beef based? I guess that would just be some kind of meat loaf though. I have wondered if a 'bean scrapple' would work-- just haven't had the nerve to try doing it though!

Edited January 22, 2007 by JanMcBaker (log)

[JanMcBaker]

Well! I mentioned to my sister my joke about scrapple truffles, and she, also jokingly at first, suggested 'scrapple with truffles.' I laughed at first, but then thought that might actually work! So--- as a variation, how about some over the top, 'high-end' scrapple, with truffles, or bits of that Kurobuta ham?

[Holly Moore]

Sounds like just the dish for Barclay Prime to offer as an alternative to their ultra costly cheesesteak.

Edited January 23, 2007 by Holly Moore (log)

[Bluehensfan]

How about a cooking contest where local chefs prepare fancy dishes utilizing scrapple? You could always see if Bobby Flay wanted to come back too. Personally I am all for a scrapple eating contest (but not involving me! )

[-sheila mooney]

truffles?

phooey, i say!

scrapple. mmmm scrapple. i followed the advice of phila egulleteers and had my last fix at the RTM diner with two pristine poached eggs.

ahhhh, scrapple.

[Bobby 2 Shakes]

-

Maybe we could invite Ferran Adria to whip up some "scrappar iberico."

He's going to be introducing jamon iberico when it becomes available in the states, so why not offer him a chance to have an awareness-raising event?

[KatieLoeb]

I thought the Jamon Iberico was already here? At least something like it was on the charcuterie menu at Amada a few months back...

Howabout a scrapple recipe contest. Incorporate scrapple into some other dish so it is unrecognizable as its former self. *slinks away*

I like the idea of a scrapple carving contest myself. A bust of Ben Franklin perhaps? He was a frugal sort and would undoubtedly approve...

[mrbigjas]

I thought the Jamon Iberico was already here?  At least something like it was on the charcuterie menu at Amada a few months back...

there's iberico sausage around now, running about $40 a pound at dibrunos, but i haven't seen the jamon itself.

Howabout a scrapple recipe contest.  Incorporate scrapple into some other dish so it is unrecognizable as its former self. *slinks away*

booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo