Saturday, October 8, 2016

How Fast Do You Think We Can Make It to Waynesville, Ohio?

There is some urgency about this because the Waynesville, Ohio, 47th Sauerkraut Festival is today and tomorrow (10/9/2016) and gone. 

Since it began in 1970 and is still flourishing today, we could calendar it for 2017 with some confidence that it would occur again.  From a start (in 1970) with the sale of 528 lbs. of sauerkraut and only 1,500 people to sample it, the uptick has been yuuuge - seven tons of sauerkraut divided among 350,000 visitors as well as 450 craft booths, and 33 food stands featuring such as sauerkraut pizza, fudge, donuts, cookies, pies, German sundaes,* egg rolls, cabbage rolls, soup, pork and sauerkraut dishes and don't forget fried bologna with sauerkraut.

*German sundae is fancy for a stuffed potato.  The "sundae" version according to the "Krauts" (German nationality nickname) is simply a baked potato with sauerkraut, cheese (hopefully Velveeta - this kind of dish requires cheesy in every sense of the word) sour cream, bacon bits and topped with a jaunty olive  - green or black wasn't specified, but from an aesthetic point of view, I'd go with the black. 

If we can't get there this year, we can all duplicate the German sundae.  Maybe with a hearty meat loaf?  Or, since the Santa Anas are blowing here and it's H O T, file the recipe for winter dinners. 

Meanwhile chic up some bologna by frying it and then use it as a wrapping for a line of sauerkraut down the middle of the bologna; fasten shut with a festive toothpick - the kind with the frilly top - and serve with drinks.  Perhaps a shot of moonshine? 

Which leaves sauerkraut fudge, cookies, pies, and donuts to wonder at and to explore next year.  Get out your calendars!

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