Posted by The Budget, OH on May 06, 2009 at 12:29:14:
Dandelion fest - a celebration of a healthful weed
By Beverly Keller
Dandelions were in all their glory last weekend at Breitenbach Winery between Dover and Sugarcreek. In fact, they were celebrated, sang about and eaten in mass quantities during the 16th Annual Dandelion Fest.
Festival attendees by the hundred had the chance to sample dandelion foods and learn about the healthfulness of dandelions, from how they can be used to reduce blood pressure to the benefits that can be obtained from the plant for those with diabetes. There were also cooking demonstrations from Cheryl Cohen and Ruth Hale.
“The weather was perfect. We couldn’t have asked for better weather or a better crowd,” Anita Davis said. “It’s just incredible to see so many people here. We actually ran out of dandelion gravy a bit early this year.”
Many worked hard to underscore the importance of the often misunderstood “weed.” “Dandelions are actually more than just a weed that makes the lawn go from a yellow sea of beauty to a barren forest of spent stalks just a few days later,” explained Hale as she made a salad using dandelions. “They are quite healthful and very tasty when picked at the right time.”
Recipes focusing on the flowering weeds from several area residents were judged during the annual Great Dandelion Cook-off held Saturday.
Nancy Radke from Gahanna won this year’s Great Dandelion Cook-off. Her winning recipe, titled “Greek Couscous Salad Stack with Dandelion Pesto” blew the judges away. This was Nancy’s first year entering the cook-off. “I’ve entered several dishes at the Ohio State Fair over the years,” Radke said after the contest. “I combined several recipes to get just the right mix and am very happy. It just came together and I’ve experimented a lot of with couscous and have become quite comfortable with it.”
Second place was awarded to Mark Anthony Pariano from Parma. His creation, known as “Dandelion Salad with Pomegranate Glazed Prawns, Pine Nuts, White Balsamic Citrus Vinaigrette and Warm Goat Cheese Round” was a unique blend of flavors.
Garaway graduate Monica Bear was awarded third prize in the contest. Her entry, “Dande Little Pesto Bites” included dandelion pesto inspired by her grandmother.
“This is just great,” Bear said after learning of her third place finish. “We really like this dish.” Her daughter agreed as she ate another piece.
Scoring was based on appearance, taste, originality and of course, dandelion content.
The Dandelion May Run gave runners a chance to see the hills of Amish Country on their own two feet. Winners included: Male - Steve Neading (20:12); Female- Maggie Miklos (24:27);
Children were a part of the celebration as well when they raced to pick dandelions in a nearby field in order to make dandelion jelly.
Winners included:
Largest Dandelion Head- Miranda Bennett, 10 of New Philadelphia.
Longest Stem- Hannah Lewis, 3 of Dover.
Yellowest Dandelion- Hannah Ridgeway, 8 of Danville.
Picking the most dandelions- Noah and Naomi Hallman ages 10 and 4 of Dennison.
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