What was on the top of my to do list for the PA Farm Show 2014?  Nadia G. of the Cooking Channel’s Bitchin’ Kitchen!  We missed her on Saturday, her flight was delayed due to the snow, but braved the threat of ice to see her on Sunday.  It should not go without saying Saturday was a mad house.   Nuts.

Here are notes from the Farm Show 2013 and the highlight of my visit this year… an interview with celebrity TV chef Nadia G of the Bitchin’ Kitchen. From stilettos to balsamic we covered some good stuff.

Be prepared for the crowd. Here are some tips to get you ready for your visit.

• The website is the www.farmshow.state.pa.us
• The show is free but parking is $10, so carpool.  They do a great job of shuttling folks.
• There is a coat check, just as you enter the main building.   I hate carrying my coat when it’s crowded.
• Best time to arrive: between 9am and noon
• Busiest time of day: 3:30-5:30 pm
• It is the largest indoor agricultural event in America and covers 24 acres.

Get a bite to eat

In here.  It’s the food court area.   I think you can see the cooking steam, smoke and fryer fat hazing the air.

Now, it’s a well known fact that it is the 60th anniversary of the much loved Farm Show milkshake which explains this year’s butter sculpture.  You’ll see it.  I happen to think that like any good man there’s a good women behind him the donut is the unsung hero of the farm show.

The PA Cooperative Potato Growers, the oldest Potato Cooperative in the United States, is hand making these donuts.  It’s a no brainer.  Then fine sugar junkies, after you polish off one of these lovelies wash it down with a milkshake.  I prefer vanilla on the bottom and chocolate on the top.

Fact: I only ate one of these donuts.

Mark your map and head to the PA Marketplace.   There are dozens of PA Preferred food producers selling their small batch products and some are offering samples.  I took so many photos of the lines people were in.  There was one line as long as an aisle just for a dime sized sample of sausage.  hmmm…

I love the radish relish from this sampling row.  Relishes as far as the eye can see.

Get your hands on handmade products.

Liam’s Luck Wood Craft are making spurtles.  Liam is working to help pay for his college degree.  You can select your species of wood, right there, and they will make your spurtle while you wait.   A sprutle is a very old Scottish word and describes a kitchen-ware made from wood.  It can be used for anything from mixing beverages to beating heavy batter to stirring food in a frying pan.

Get your hands on some information

There is everything from the PA State Beekeepers Association to the PA Maple Syrup Producers and everyone has some great information from recipes, gardening tips to tours.

Get your hands on some recipes

You can download winning bake-off recipes and the demonstrating chef’s recipes. 

Get on over and pet a goat

You can’t pet the chickens but you can watch them hatch (at the show or via this link).  I love chickens, I hate eggs.   Dan spotted, by the hatching eggs, a wall full of youth projects.  Check out some of the titles.  You can guess which one was his favorite.

 

Did I mention wine?

I don’t think it needs more explanation.  Sample and check out the case to see what local wineries you might recognize that won awards.

Love the wine in the bucket.   This producers has lovely sweet wines and one in particular was tea infused.  They sold out of that bucket.

Head over to PA Preferred Culinary Connection.

It’s a must do destination for cooking demonstrations by local chef’s.  Did I mention I interviewed Nadia G.?   Well, I’m darn excited about that so here it is again!

Ya’ll come back now.