After the mushroom hunt in Blairsville, we drove out to Ebensburg for the annual Potato Fest! The entire downtown of the city is converted into a craft fair, studded with potato-inspired booths. The festival celebrates Ebensburg and Cambria County potato-growers. They are the second largest supplier of potatoes in the state!
Thousands of people descend upon Ebensburg the last Saturday in September each year. Many of the streets are shut down for the festivities. There was live music, street performers, fair food (my favorite!), crafts, and a huge wine tasting event featuring several local wineries.
There were lots of potato-based food vendors. They had potato soup, potato candy, French fries, potato latkis, potato pizza, homemade potato chips, and pierogies! We got a batch of potato and cheese-filled pierogies that were freshly fried up. They were absolutely delicious. (I'm kicking myself for not going back before we left for some frozen ones to take home. They had unusual flavors like prune and sauerkraut.) 
There was a lot of other (non-potato) food available as well. Funnel cakes are an essential component to a successful fair experience in my opinion. Even with the most careful hand, it's nearly impossible to enjoy one without in someway getting covered in a dusting of powdered sugar. This did not deter me from diving into this unusual "birthday" cake.
Above is one of my birthday presents and the man who made it. His name is Ed. He and his wife are based out of Hastings, PA and made handcrafted wooden utensils and furniture items. I love that I was able to meet the artisan behind this beautifully carved spoon. Every time I cook with it, I'll think of him, his wife, and my birthday.
5 comments:
Mmmm, this post makes me so hungry! Potatoes are one of my favorite foods.
I know you read Kate's blog and so I know you went there knowing you'd be safe from zombies!
Sounds like you had a great day. Who knew so much fun could be had with spuds!
I love seeing artists at work. Sometimes crafts like this seem few and far between.
Yay! Only in PA!
Pierogies is a standard dish in Poland. Best for me are stuffed with potato and cheese (like cottage cheese, but not quite the same), although I also like these one filled with the fruits, like strawberries or cherries. My mom seasoned stuffing dried peppermint and black pepper, my grandma adds to batter fried chopped onions. The dough for pierogies is being done in the same way as the dough for pasta. The trick lies in the fact that the stuffing is not leaked from the pierogies while cooking ...
Have a nice day :)
Post a Comment