“GUTEN ESSEN” – A GUARANTEE AT THE KUTZTOWN FESTIVAL!

More Information: Dick Morrison, 610-253-8263
e-mail fooks@kutztown.edu

Mention food and Pennsylvania Dutch in the same sentence and instantly some of the tastiest, mouth-watering delicacies come to mind.

No wonder. The Pennsylvania Germans are famous for culinary creations that have been enjoyed for generations. And you don't have to be Pennsylvania German to enjoy and appreciate what comes from their ovens. At the annual Kutztown Festival, some of their best, traditional cooking has drawn rave reviews from visitors for over a half-century.

Fact is there probably is no other place in the nation where visitors can find as many original Pennsylvania Dutch delicacies or in such abundance than at the 2006 Kutztown Festival, July 1 to July 9, in Kutztown , PA.

“It's true that many people tell us one of the major reasons they come to the Festival is to enjoy the food. There is nothing quite like it anywhere else,” says Festival Executive Director Dave Fooks. He goes on to explain that the recipes for many of the appetizing foods go back a century or more. “The Pennsylvania Germans love to eat and they love to share their favorite foods with others. They truly believe in ‘guten essen ' (good eating),” he remarked.

“In some cases the persons who introduced their favorite foods or recipes to Festival audiences back in the 1950's are still represented by family or associates today,” Fooks said.

One example is Viola Miller's original funnel cakes. Her often-imitated fried dough favorites have been at the Festival since they were first presented there decades ago. Another is the original Pennsylvania Dutch ox roast. Every day Al Spatz, with nearly 40 years of ox carving experience, prepares meat for platters and sandwiches that visitors hunger after. “No matter the time of day, people arelined up to watch the ox roast, ask questions of Al about his roasting methods, and of course to go next door to enjoy a scrumptious meal,” Fooks commented.

To get the real feel of traditional home cooking, visitors stop by the Festival's Summer Kitchen. There they observe first-hand meals being made from generations-old recipes of Kutztown area Pennsylvania German families. Meals at the summer kitchen are cooked on an authentic, turn-of-the-century wood fired stove and other old-fashioned appliances. The summer kitchen is the place to ask questions and get truly authoritative answers on all aspects of Pennsylvania Dutch food and cooking. And for just a dollar, visitors can walk away with an informative booklet that lists recipes for both favorite and unfamiliar Pennsylvania Dutch foods.

For over 50 years countless thousands of visitors have sat down for a leisurely lunch or dinner at the dining hall sponsored by Zion 's UCC Church . Really a banquet, the all-you-can-eat fare features some of the best basic Pennsylvania Dutch cooking, all served family-style.

Everywhere at the festival there seems to be no end to the ham and chicken dinners, home-made soups, and favorites such as sausage, chicken pot pie, corn fritters, funnel cakes, shoo-fly pie, and apple dumplings. It's all scrumptious and plentiful. Gutten essen ? The best!

The aroma of fresh-baked bread coming from the oven is irresistible and draws visitors from all over the fairgrounds. In fact, the Festival's real 19 th century outdoor bread oven is one of the oldest in Pennsylvania, and every hour visitors can buy bread literally “fresh from the oven” to bring home to their families.

There's much more in the way of homemade foods. Made fresh daily, Pennsylvania Dutch apple butter gets high marks from visitors. Each morning of the Festival, just-cooked batches of this delicacy are brought in, made from newly picked apples, cinnamon, and other seasonings.

The farmers' market and butcher's shop offer distinctive take-home Pennsylvania Dutch foods such as hams, smoked sausages, homemade pies, fruit and nut breads, and unique relishes such as chow-chow. Always a favorite stop for visitors, the market even offers old time delicacies such as pickled pig's snout!

Children are not forgotten in the Festival's food offerings. In addition to many tasty traditional foods and snacks, there are more familiar foods for kids at the Kinner Eck (children's corner). Favorites ranging from peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to hot dogs are prepared the way the younger set likes them. Parents will appreciate the kid's size portions and kid's size prices, too

Now in its 57th year, the Kutztown Festival features a wide variety of good family fun. In addition to lots of Pennsylvania Dutch food, there are numerous folklife presentations; 220 nationally-recognized, juried folk artists and traditional American craftsmen; nearly 2,500 locally hand-made quilts on display and for sale; antiques and collectables, 6 stages of entertainment, music, dancing, and a wide range of children's activities.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Admission for adults is $10, seniors $9. Children 12 and under are admitted free. There is ample free parking and free shuttle service is offered from the Festival parking areas to the fairgrounds. For a free brochure, please call 1-888-674-6136 or 610-683-1597. Visit the Festival website at http://www.kutztownfestival.com