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Kennett Square, Pennsylvania The Mushroom Capital of the
WorldKennett Square, Pennsylvania The Mushroom Capital of the
World
03 THAnniversary IssueAnniversary IssueAnniversary Issue
A Chester County Press PublicationA Chester County Press
Publication
September 11 - 13, 2015 Complimentary Copy
Mushroom Festival& Visitors Guide
Mushroom FestivalMushroom Festival& Visitors Guide&
Visitors Guide
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4 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26,
2015
Mushroom Festival & Vistors Guide 2015
Table of Contents8-
20-
22-
28-
38-40-
48-56-59-78-
84-88-92-
100-
110-
116-
Overview of the 2015 Mushroom Festival
The Mushroom Festival celebrates30 years
Ferrato named honorary chairperson of the 2015 Mushroom
Festival
The mushroom burger: blending taste and nutrition
Volunteer spotlight: Rhonda Sarver
The magical, unstoppable sound of the peoples symphony
Hang out with the superstar chefs
30 interesting facts about mushrooms
Thirty years of favorite recipes
Little designs the t-shirt for the30th anniversary
Profi le of CT Bartoli Mushrooms
Who are the Mushroom Farmers of PA?
Mushrooms: Its a KSQ thing
Visitors Guide to Chester Countys attractions
Va La Vineyards puts Pa. on the winery map
Q & A with Jennifer Singer
Cover Photography: Jeanna BissingerLocal Artist &
Photographer, [email protected]
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6 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26,
2015
By Carla LucasCorrespondent
The Mushroom Festival is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Heres
a Bucket List with 30 ways to celebrate. How many items from this
list can you check off over the weekend?
A Mushroom Festival Fanatic will try to check them all off, or
at least 28 of them! A Mushroom Festival Die-Hard will hit between
27 and 22 of them. If you check off 15 to 21, youd be considered a
Mushroom Festival Lover. Do anywhere from 10 to 14 and you are a
Mushroom Festival Supporter. Only get to 10 or fewer? You must be a
Mush-room Festival Newbie, and youll have to come back next year
and try again.
Dont forget to check out www.mushroomfestival.org for all the
details and last-minute changes.
BOTH DAYS
Growers ExhibitThe regions mushroom growers walk you through the
com-mercial mushroom growing process, from making compost to
harvesting mushrooms. Its the best place to get all your mushroom
growing questions answered. (Broad Street)
Culinary TentLearn new ways to cook with mushrooms, and meet our
fea-tured local and regional chefs in the Culinary Tent. They will
be sharing their recipes and tips about using mushrooms on the
Kitchen Stage. (Broad Street)
Are you a Mushroom Festival fanatic, Die-Hard, Lover, Supporter
or Newbie?
Childrens EntertainmentTheres lots of laughs on the Childrens
Stage for the younger crowd, or those who are young at heart. Dan
and Gala will once again be hosting the Childrens Stage and
providing fun activities for children in between the acts. (South
Union Street)
Live in KSQSit a spell at the festivals music venue, Live in
KSQ, where youll hear great bands and artists throughout the
weekend. (Lafayette Street)
Painted Mushroom Silent AuctionNine talented artists created
one-of-a-kind works of art on mushroom-shaped, 108-pound concrete
garden stools. If you place the winning bid, one of the creations
could be yours. New this year is a Peoples Choice prize. Vote for
your favorite! (State Street, near Kennett Square Inn)
Cute-As-A-Button (Mushroom) Baby Photo ContestBragging rights as
the Cutest Button, Cutest Crimini and Cutest Portabello are at
stake in this friendly annual contest featur-ing some of the cutest
baby photos around. Help choose the winner with your pocket change!
(State Street, near Meredith Street)
Meet Fun Gus, the mascotKeep your eyes open for a 7-foot-tall
and very wide red
Continued on Page 8
State Street during the Mushroom Festival is lined with vendors
and filled with visitors, all celebrating mushrooms.
Fun Gus, the Mushroom Festivals mascot, tries to come out each
day to say hi and pose for a couple of photos.
Photos (2) by Carla Lucas
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS
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8 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26,
2015
mushroom cap wandering down the street. Fun Gus, the Mushroom
Festivals mascot, makes sporadic appearances during the festival.
Best place to see him? In the afternoon in the center of town, if
the weathers not too hot.
See the Mushroom Drop Mushroom The 8-foot-tall, 500-pound,
lighted mushroom that is dropped
Mushroom Festival...Continued from Page 6
in the center of the borough on New Years Even is making a
special appearance at this years festival. Try to find it!
Photo by Carla LucasGuests sample Ole Tapas mushroom soup as
part of the Soup and Wine Event.
Photo by Becca GrayChef Barry Sexton, of Opinionated Palate, is
a regular on the Kitchen Stage in the Culinary Tent.
Continued on Page 10
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10 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26,
2015
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Official Mushroom Soup at the Masonic LodgeThe Masonic Lodge
gets into the Mushroom Festival spirit and cooks up batches and
batches of a mushroom soup based on a mushroom growers family
recipe. Its a great broth, just loaded with piles of sliced
mushrooms. (Center and W. Cypress Streets)
Visit the Souvenir BoothsThere are two souvenir booths this
year. The regular booth at Broad Street features the 30th Annual
Mushroom Festival T-shirt and poster, which was designed by local
artist Carol Little, as well as other mushroom-themed gift items.
The Childrens Souvenir Booth, located near Meredith Street,
features a stuffed Fun Gus (our mascot), as well as childrens
T-shirts and other items for the younger set. Looking for a
bargain?
Purchase a 30th Anniversary Mushroom Festival CookbookIn
cleaning out a storage area this past year, the Mushroom Festival
organizers found boxes of files filled with the mushroom recipes
from its beginning years. This is the basis for the 30th
Anniversary Mushroom Festival Cookbook. Get
Mushroom Festival...Continued from Page 8
Photo by Becca GrayPurchase the freshest mushrooms around at one
of the Mushroom Sales Booths and then pick up the fresh mushrooms
from the To-Jo refrigerated trucks on your way home from the
festival.Continued on Page 12
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS
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12 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26,
2015
Street FestivalVendors come from across the country to be at the
Mushroom Festivals Street Festival. Stroll the mile-long offerings
for great food, mer-chandise and promotions. (State Street from
Willow to Garfield, Union Street, and Meredith Street)
Mushroom Festi-val GuideSave this Mushroom Festi-val Souvenir
Guide, which is filled with valuable infor-mation about mushrooms.
(Found at all entrance booths)
Grant Recipients BoothsVisit the grant recipients booths and
meet a few of the 47 or-ganizations that received Mushroom Festival
grants in 2015. The work they do in the community is amazing. (Near
the West Entrance)
this treasury of recipes at the Souvenir Booth, the Mushroom
Sales Booths or The Mushroom Cap (114 W. State St.).
Fresh Mushroom SalesOrder your button, crimini, portabella,
maitake, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms from one of the three sales
booths any time during your visit. Pick up your order from one of
the three To-Jo Mushrooms refrigerated trucks near the exits as you
leave. Youll be able to enjoy Kennett Squares freshest crop for
days and weeks to come. (Near the East and West Entrance booths and
Broad Street)
Get some Free Mushroom Festival recipesMushroom Farmers of PA,
the Mushroom Council, and the American Mushroom Institute encourage
people to cook with mushrooms. Throughout the festival, especially
in the Mush-room Sales Booths and in the Growers Exhibit, you will
find free literature filled with mushroom care and handling tips,
nutrition facts, and recipes you can try with the fresh mush-rooms
you bring home. You can also find great recipes for mushrooms at
www.mushroominfo.com.
Mushroom Festival...Continued from Page 10
Continued on Page 14
Courtesy PhotoChecking out the prize-winning mushrooms at
Mushroom Judging.
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14 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26,
2015
VolunteerGet to know the festival even better as a Mushroom
Festival volunteer. Perks include free admission, a volunteer
T-shirt, and free parking. Half-day and full-day shifts are
available. Call the Mushroom Festival office for details prior to
the festival.
Old Fashioned CarnivalEnjoy the rides, games, and carnival
treats at the Old Fashioned Carnival. One-day wristbands allow
guests to ride all the rides, all day. Open Friday, Saturday and
Sunday. (Located in the Genesis Parking Lot at 600 S. Broad St.,
across from the Kennett High School)
FRIDAY, SEPT. 11
Community Parade We Remember is the theme for this years
Community Pa-rade, on Friday, Sept. 11. This years parade will
honor those who serve our community in the police, fire, and EMT
services. The parade kicks off at 6 p.m. (State Street, from Willow
Street to Meredith Street)
Dining and Dancing in the StreetsMake your reservations early
for a table along the parade route at one of Kennett Squares great
restaurants to enjoy the parade while you dine. After the parade,
enjoy the music of Good Foot, as it takes the stage for Dancing in
the Streets. (Corner of State Street and Union Street)
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Mushroom Festival...Continued from Page 12
Continued on Page 18
Photo by Becca GrayMolly Schuyler (right) returns to challenge
her world record of consuming 11.5 pounds of Buonas fried breaded
mushrooms in eight minutes, and retain her title of National Fried
Mushroom Eating Champion for a third time.
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Proudly Sponsoring the 30th Mushroom Festival andThank You to
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Congratulations to the Mushroom Festival for 30 years!
Oakshire Mushroom Farm is celebrating
and we want to thank our employees, vendors,customers, and the
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that have contributed to our success.
30 YEARS OF BUSINESS
THANKYOU TO EVERYONEWHO HAS BEEN PART OF OAKSHIRES SUCCESS.
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16 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26,
2015
Dear Mushroom Festival fans:Weve reached a major milestone for
our 2015 Mushroom Festival.
Its been 30 years three decades of celebrating mushrooms. This
year, we are not only celebrating the regions mushroom industry,
but also the longevity and growth of this great event that
highlights a key industry in my favorite place on Earth Kennett
Square.
We have planned many events just for this year. I hope you will
join us under the Special Events Tent on Saturday evening as we
celebrate our 30th Festival and the Kennett Symphony kicks off its
75th season with a special free pops concert. Were also bringing in
a 60-foot tall Ferris Wheel so you can take a spin and get a
birds-eye-view of the town. From the deep recesses of the Mushroom
Festivals fi les, we found hundreds of former winning recipes that
weve compiled into a 30th anniversary cookbook.
As we work toward putting the fi nishing touches on the 30th
annual Mushroom Festival, Ive been refl ecting on what the Mushroom
Festival has become, and the spotlight this annual event shines on
Southern Chester County each year. The Mushroom Festival started as
a small towns celebration of its largest local industry and has
grown to be known as one of the best food festivals in the
country.
The Mushroom Festivals impact stretches far beyond our September
celebration. Through the Mushroom Festivals grant program, we have
awarded
over $700,000 in grants since 2000, the fi rst year the Festival
gave out these awards. At our Spring Gala this April, we gave
$80,000 to 47 unique nonprofi t organizations to enable them to
improve and continue their work throughout the region.
As we celebrate Pennsylvanias number-one cash crop the mushroom
in the region where 65 percent of the countrys mushrooms are grown,
Id like to thank the mushroom industry and all the local mushroom
growers who support us. The regions growers donate their freshest
mushrooms for the festival to sell to our guests. They spend
countless hours over the weekend volunteering in the Growers
Exhibit, talking to our guests about the mushroom-growing process.
Many of the regions mushroom growers
and related companies support the festival fi nancially as
sponsors. The festival would not be the success it is without the
mushroom industrys support.
Id also like to thank all our other committee chairs,
volunteers, sponsors, and the residents and employees of Kennett
Square Borough for all your support in the Mushroom Festivals
success. This is a huge endeavor and it takes hundreds of
individuals to make it happen so seamlessly every year.
I look forward to seeing you on Sept. 12 and 13. Dont forget
about the community parade with dining and dancing in the streets
on Friday, Sept. 11, too.
Kathi LaffertyFestival Coordinator
A Message from the Festival Coordinator
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PO Box 368, Kennett Square, PA 19348610-444-2270 fax
610-961-3105 1-800-4-MANFREDI
Proudly sponsoring the
for 30 years.
Mushroom FestivalProudly sponsoring the
for 30 years.
Mushroom FestivalProudly sponsoring the
for 30 years.
Mushroom Festival
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2015
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40 YEARSSTRONG
SATURDAY, SEPT. 12 ONLY
Antique and Classic Car ShowTake a break from mushroom mania and
check out the antique and classic cars that line Broad Street on
Saturday. This years Antique and Classic Car Show is dedicated to
the memory of Bob Gold. His 1963 Corvette is the featured car.
Electric cars are coming too, as Sept. 12 is the start of Drive
Electric Week. (Broad Street from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
Amateur Mushroom Cook-OffWatch the five finalists cook their
mushroom appetizers in one hour for our judges. The winner receives
a $500 cash prize.
Meet Fabio Viviani, from Bravos Top ChefFabio Viviani earned the
Fan Favorite award during his season on Bravos Top Chef. Hell bring
his enthusiasm and cooking knowledge to the Kitchen Stage in the
Culinary Tent at noon and 3 p.m.
National Fried Mushroom Eating ContestTwo-time Fried Mushroom
Eating Champion Molly Schuyler returns to challenge the record she
set last year-- 11.5 pounds of Buona Foods fried and breaded
mushrooms in eight min-utes. Witness the spectacle and cheer on the
contestants in the Special Events Tent. Think you have what it
takes to win an eating contest? Theres always a few spots saved for
last minute competitors! (3 p.m., State and Willow Streets)
Free Saturday Night Pops ConcertExciting music from Broadway,
the movies, and more high-lights American Flair, a Kennett Symphony
Pops Concert celebrating the Mushroom Festivals 30th anniversary
and the Kennett Symphonys 75th anniversary in the Special Events
Tent. (7:30 p.m.)
Photo by Becca GrayLast years Honorary Chairs, Rich and Terry
Forte, wave to the crowds at the kickoff of the Community
Parade.
Mushroom Festival...Continued from Page 14
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS
19
SUNDAY, SEPT. 13 ONLY
Mushroom Run and Fun WalkStart your Mushroom Festival Sunday off
with a 5K run or 2-mile Fun Walk along the Red Clay Creek. The race
starts in front of Kennett High School. By the time the run is
over, the festival is gearing up for the day. (registration opens
at 7:30, race begins at 8:30).
Soup and Wine EventLocal restaurants compete for the title of
Best Mushroom Soup in the Brandywine Valley as local wineries
compete for the title of Best Wine at the Mushroom Festival.
Attendees in the Special Events Tent sample all the soups and all
the wines and vote for their favorite. (State and Willow, 11 a.m.
to 4 p.m., $25 for both soup and wine tastings. Soup-only tastings
$10)
Meet Brian Duffy, from Spike TVs Bar RescuePhiladelphia chef
Brian Duffy, from Spike TVs Bar Rescue, takes over on the Kitchen
Stage in the Culinary Tent to share his mushroom cooking tips,
techniques, and recipes at noon and 3 p.m. (Broad Street)
Mushroom JudgingBragging rights and a Best in Show ribbon are on
the line as the areas mushroom growers bring their best mushrooms
to the Growers Exhibit for judging by noon on Sunday. At 2:30, once
the ribbons are awarded, these best-of-the-best mush-rooms are sold
to the public. (Broad Street)
Remote Control Air ShowThe Malchione brothers, local mushroom
growers by day and remote control air plane hobbyists for fun,
organize the annu-al Remote Control Air Show. Be amazed as the
remote control airplanes speed through the air, doing flips and
loops on the grassy area of Kennett High School (10 a.m., South
Street)
Photo by Carla LucasThe Bill Rose Project was one of many bands
at the festivals music venue.
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By Carla LucasCorrespondent
In 1986, Platoon won the Oscar for Best Picture, and the
top-grossing movie of the year was Top Gun. The most popular TV
shows in 1986 were The Cosby Show, Fam-ily Ties, and Cheers.
In Kennett Square in 1986, mushroom grower RoRo Ferranto,
Kennett Paper reporter Carol Berzon, and local at-torney Frank
Felcetti banded together to bring a new street fair to town that
September. They formed an organization called the Chester County
Mushroom Festival, Inc., and called this new event The Mushroom
Street Festival.
The event occupied two blocks along State Street, from Broad
Street to Center Street. The first festival was the cul-minating
event of an entire week of mushroom-based events throughout the
county during National Mushroom Week.
The Mushroom Street Festival featured mushroom special-ties,
games, rides, crafts and antiques. Other events during the week
included a golf tournament, an art show, the First Annual
Mycological Symposium Dinner, the Mushroom Cook-off Contest, a road
rally, a business card exchange and a dinner dance.
At this years 30th Anniversary Mushroom Festival Spring Gala,
RoRo, in a message read by her daughter, Gale, said
Photo by Carla LucasEven in the early days, the event was a
great place to meet friends.
Ph t b C l L
The Mushroom Festival The Mushroom Festival celebrates 30
yearscelebrates 30 years
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS
21
of the first event: The Mushroom Festival came about in the
early 1980s as an idea to bring awareness to the mush-room industry
and Kennett Square. Our mission was to educate others about how
mushrooms were grown, har-vested, the nutritional value of
mushrooms and the many ways to cook with them. We provided recipes
and value through the American Mushroom Institute. It makes me very
proud to walk the street at the Festival in awe of what this event
has become.
At the second annual Chester County Mushroom Festival in 1987,
many more events were part of the celebration. More people -- such
as Ralph LaFrance, Sonny Pizzini and Bob Maucher -- joined in the
planning and execution. The event kicked off with the Mushroom Ball
at the Sheraton Brandywine Inn and the crowning of the first
National Miss Mushroom, which was attended by 485 people. This
sec-ond festival was held at the Brandywine Polo Grounds, with a
theme of A Taste of Chester County Cuisine. At the Polo Grounds on
Friday, there were food vendors and craft booths, lots of
mushrooms, plus a talent show in the evening. Saturday featured an
ethnic festival, a polo match, and musical entertainment.
By 1989, the Mushroom Street Festival returned to down-town
Kennett Square and was once again a one-day event at the end of
Mushroom Week. Every year since, a street festival celebrating
mushrooms has been held in Kennett Square. In the mid-1990s, the
festival was so popular that it became a two-day event. In the
mid-2000s the Mushroom Festival was featured on the Food Network
show All-American Festivals, and the following years attendance
soared.
This year is the 30th time a festival celebrating the regions
number-one cash crop, mushrooms, has been organized.
Photo by Carla LucasKathi Lafferty, the Mushroom Festival
coordinator, can usually be found at The Mushroom Cap booth along
State Street during the Mushroom Festival.
In the mid-2000s, the Mushroom Festival was visited by Gov. Ed
Rendell.
A six-course mushroom menu was prepared for the Symposium Dinner
in the early days of what would become the Mushroom Festival.
Events no longer held at the Mushroom Festival are Mushroom
Picking, the National Mushroom Queen Pageant, and the Mushroom
Cook-off.
Continued on Page 22
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22 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26,
2015
Now called the Mushroom Festival, the event attracts up to
100,000 visitors to Kennett Square over the two days. State Street
becomes Mushroom Boulevard, as the street fair stretches nearly a
mile -- from its east entrance at Willow Street to the west
entrance at Garfield Street. Some events, such as
Events no longer held at the Mushroom Festival are Mushroom
Picking, the National Mushroom Queen Pageant, and the Mushroom
Cook-off.
30 years...Continued from Page 21
Continued on Page 24
For the 30th Annual Mushroom Festival, the Mushroom Festivals
Board of Directors chose RoRo Ferranto as this years Honor-ary
Chairperson. She, along with two others, attorney Frank Felcetti
and reporter Carol Berzon, started the Mushroom Festival in the
mid-1980s, and has had a presence at the Festival ever since.
Ferranto served on the Mushroom Fes-tivals Board for its first
15 years. She is founder of Buona Foods, which is a perenni-al
favorite at the Mushroom Festival for their breaded fried mushrooms
and shroomies. The Ferrantos company also sponsors the annual
National Fried Mushroom Eating Championship at the Festival, and
supplies the product that is devoured at the event.
At the Mushroom Festivals Spring Gala, when the honorary chair
was announced, Gale Ferranto spoke on behalf of her mother RoRo: My
mother was diagnosed with ALS last year. It has taken her voice,
but not her energy, spirit and enthusiasm, she said. She read her
mothers words, concluding, It makes me very proud to walk the
street at the Festival and awe over what this event has become.
Thank you for this honor. It is an honor for me to associate with
all of you!
RoRo Ferranto is the 30th Annual Mushroom Festivals Honorary
Chairperson
Photo by Becca GrayRoRo, with her husband Bear, rode in the
Mushroom Festival Community Parade last year. She will ride in the
Grand Marshals car this year as the Honorary Chair.
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS
23
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24 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26,
2015
the Growers Exhibit, have remained the same over the years,
since it continues to be one of the most popular events at the
festival. Other events, like the National Miss Mushroom pageant,
were discontinued after a number of years.
Other events of the former week-long celebration were
Freddi the Fungi was the Mushroom Festivals first mascot. In
2011 Fun Gus, the Mushroom Festivals new mascot, made his first
appearance.
30 years...Continued from Page 22
2015 Mushroom Festival Board of Directors
Randy Lieberman, President
Anita Swayne, Vice President
Michelle Gazdik, Treasurer
Gina Puoci, Secretary
Chris AlonzoJennifer Basciani
Gus CarozzoLori GebertCarla LucasJohn MorrisVicki Pollert
Kathi Lafferty, Festival Coordinator
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS
25
condensed into the current two-day Street Fair. The former
Mushroom Cook-Off Contest, which featured both amateur cooks and
professional chefs, is now split into two very popu-lar events. The
Amateur Mushroom Cook-Off on Saturday features six finalists who
have one hour to cook their mush-room soup or appetizer (depending
on the year) in front of a panel of judges. The winner receives a
$500 cash prize. The Soup and Wine event on Sunday is a battle for
The Best Mush-room Soup in the Brandywine Valley for area
restaurants, as attendees sample all the soups and vote for their
favorite, with the added bonus of wine tastings from the regions
wineries.
The Mushroom Festival, Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(3)
cor-poration, now organizes Kennett Squares largest event of the
year. The 11-member, volunteer Board of Directors oversees the
organizations mission, which is to promote the mushroom, educate
consumers about the health ben-efits of mushrooms and to promote
tourism in Southern Chester County, all while financially
supporting local and regional charities through a grant process.
Dozens of vol-unteers work throughout the year on specific aspects
of the Mushroom Festival. On the big weekend, nearly 500 people
volunteer to make the festival a success.
The festivals long-time coordinator, Kathi Lafferty, volun-teers
her time to implement a successful festival each year. Much of the
work is done out of her store, The Mushroom Cap, on State Street.
She started on the Mushroom Festival
Mushroom Sales continue as a popular event today.
Continued on Page 26
Mushroom sales at the second Annual Mushroom Festival at the
Brandywine Polo Grounds.
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26 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26,
2015
Board in the late 1990s, and during her first year on the board,
her job was to alphabetize the 60 vendors that were to be part of
the festival. Now her visions and influence on the festival can be
found in many of the events shes added -- from the National Fried
Mushroom Eating Cham-pionship, to the Cute-As-A-Button Baby Photo
Contest, the Painted Mushroom Silent Auction, the Old Fashioned
Car-nival, and Dining and Dancing in the Streets during the
Community Parade. Lafferty is also responsible for orga-nizing the
annual Midnight in the Square/ Mushroom Drop on New Years Eve.
She led the effort to organize the Mushroom Festival grant
program. In 2000, the first year the Mushroom Festival had proceeds
to distribute as grants, three organizations received a total of
$500 in grants. At this years Mush-room Festival Spring Gala, 47
local organizations received $80,000 in grants. Since 2000, the
Mushroom Festival has given more than $700,000 in grants and
donations back to the community.
Special celebrations are part of the 30th Anniversary Mushroom
Festival. Two celebrity chefs will join the cel-ebrations. On
Saturday, Fabio Viviani from Bravos Top Chef, and on Sunday Brian
Duffy, from Spike TVs Bar
Rescue, will give cooking demonstrations in the Culinary Tent.
The Mushroom Festival just published the 30th An-niversary Cookbook
filled with the winning recipes over the past 30 years of mushroom
cooking contests. A ferris wheel is coming to town for this
celebration, so visitors can take a spin on it for a birds-eye
view. Finally, Saturday evenings free Kennett Symphony Pops concert
in the Special Events Tent will fill the streets of Kennett Square
with the popular movie and television soundtracks of the past 30
years. It celebrates the Mushroom Festivals 30th anniversary, and
the start of the Kennett Symphonys 75th season.
Even in the early days, the event was a great place to meet
friends.
30 years...Continued from Page 25
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28 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26,
2015
By Richard L. GawStaff Writer
A first glance at their menus, ambiance and personality would
reveal that there is very little in common between the Kennett Inn,
La Verona Restaurant, the Half Moon Res-taurant and Saloon and
Portabellos, except for the fact that they are all successful, and
that they all reside on State Street in Kennett Square.
THE MUSHROOM BURGERTHE MUSHROOM BURGER: The perfect : The
perfect blend of texture, taste and nutrition blend of texture,
taste and nutrition The Beard Foundations Better Burger Project
is challenging chefs across the nation as well as several in our
community to include mushroom-blended burgers on their menus
Photo by Richard L. GawPortaballos Executive Chef Brett Hulbert,
along with line cook Tony Dickinson, lead cook Steven Serafino and
sous chef Franco Alvisi.
-
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS
29
There is one more overlap of commonality: Theyre all up to the
challenge of making a better burger...with mushrooms.
This year, the four establishments joined Twelves Grill in West
Grove and 11 other Pennsylvania restaurants in The Better Burger
Project, begun by The James Beard Foundation, in an effort to
challenge chefs and restau-rants nationwide to create a delicious,
healthier and more sustainable hamburger by blending ground meat
with finely-chopped, cultivated mushrooms.
In partnership with the Mushroom Council, the competi-tion
called for all participants to feature their better burger on their
menus from Memorial Day through July 31, blend-ing at least
25-percent fresh, cultivated ground mushrooms into their burgers
and featuring them on the menu.
Afterward, the general public will vote for their favorites
through an Instagram-based social media challenge. Af-ter the
promotion, the five chefs with the most Instagram uploads by
consumers will win a trip to New York City in October to cook their
Better Burgers at the official welcome reception for the annual JBF
Food Conference at the historic James Beard House.
Photo by Richard L. GawLa Verona Restaurant Executive Chef Jack
Mavraj prepares a mushroom-infused burger
Continued on Page 30
-
30 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26,
2015
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Founded in 1986, the James Beard Foundation cele-brates,
nurtures, and honors Americas diverse culinary heritage through
programs that educate and inspire.
Named after Beard, a cookbook author and teacher who died in
1985, the Foundation administers a number of diverse programs that
include educational initiatives, food industry awards, scholarships
for culinary students, publications, chef advocacy training, and
thought-lead-er convening.
The Mushroom Council is composed of fresh market farmers or
importers who average more than 500,000 pounds of mushrooms
produced or imported annually. The mushroom program is authorized
by the Mushroom Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act of
1990 and is administered by the Mushroom Council under the
supervision of the Agricultural Marketing Ser-vice. Research and
promotion programs help to expand, maintain and develop markets for
individual agricultural commodities in the United States and
abroad.
Burgers are an iconic American food, particularly for summer
grilling, so we are eager to host the Better Burger Project and
explore how blending meat with mushrooms can create new versions of
burgers that are
Courtesy photoThere are as many different methods of preparing a
mushroom burger as there are chefs and backyard barbecue experts
willing to experiment.
healthier and more sustainable, said Kris Moon, senior director
strategy and development of the James Beard Foundation. An exciting
part of the future of food is cre-ating better-for-you versions of
beloved foods. The Better Burger Project is a great example of how
we can work with chefs to make these healthier options a
reality.
Mushrooms have really come into their own as a solu-tion to
changing dietary patterns, earning their place on the
The mushroom burger...Continued from Page 29
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS
31
plate with their nutrient quality, flavor impacts and
incred-ible functionality across the menu. Greg Drescher, Vice
President of Strategic Initiatives and Industry Leadership at The
Culinary Institute of America.
Chefs are by nature competitive, but this is more than just
going head-to-head with colleagues. Its about spread-ing the word
about better health: Blending mushrooms into meat patties allows
chefs to create burgers that are better for their guests and the
environment at large. Blending meat with mushrooms reduces
calories, fat, and sodium while adding important nutrients like
vitamin D, potassium, and B vitamins. A blended burger also brings
more sustainable, plant-based items to menus allowing Americans to
enjoy the taste and flavor of the burgers they love, knowing its a
healthier and more sustainable preparation.
There is a unobtrusive Build a Better Burger sign resting at the
corner of the bar at La Verona Restaurant, and ever since the
contest began, the patrons who have come to love this neighborhood
eatery dont need any more notice that Executive Chef Jack Mavraj is
up to the challenge.
Mavraj points to a large mixing bowl in the kitchen of the
restaurant where, because of the popularity of the
mush-room-infused burger he has been making for the last few
months, he has had to prepare several patties in advance of orders
since entering the contest -- as many as 30 at a time. He makes his
burgers with 75 percent marinated mushrooms, 25 percent beef, as
well as an infusion of car-amelized onions, mixed with a dash of
red pepper, garlic butter, salt and pepper.
The burger has become so popular at at La Verona that Mavraj has
decided to keep it as a special on his menu.
Photo by Richard L. GawThe mushroom-infused burger at La Verona
Restaurant in Kennett Square.
Continued on Page 32
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32 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26,
2015
People are very happy with it, he said. They tell us that it
tastes like a regular burger but its healthier and lighter than a
regular burger.
On a recent Thursday afternoon, Chef Brett Hul-bert, who owns
Portabellos on State Street with his wife Sandra, welcomed 12 cases
of mushrooms into his kitchen, which would be used in several of
the hundreds of dishes he and his staff would prepare that coming
weekend. Portabellos, whites, oysters, shiitakes, and several other
varieties.
So when the Better Burger Project came into his lap, he was
already legions ahead of the game. His Kennett Burger -- made with
ground beef, mush-rooms, caramelized onions, Swiss cheese and Dijon
mayo -- has been on his menu for a while now, and its very popular.
He makes his Kennett Burger with 70 percent very lean beef and 30
percent mushrooms.
Ive always been very passionate about mushrooms, said Hulbert, a
New Jersey native, who spent the first part of his culinary career
in Atlantic
City and in Cape May. By luck, I ended up in the Mush-room
Capital of the World. I have all of these amazing mushrooms right
at my fingertips.
Its the wonderful blendability factor -- the melding of two
great tastes -- that Hulbert believes is not only changing the way
people approach eating burgers, but the conscious -- or unconscious
-- choice of lay-ering flavor with nutrition. Mushrooms add
moisture to the burger, Hulbert said, that lubricates the palate,
and also drops the fat content in the burger while increasing the
nutrient factor.
I cant tell you how many mothers come to me and say, Ive got my
kids eating mushroom burgers, and I did what you said, Hulbert
said. They tell their kids, I waited a few weeks and told them that
they love mushrooms, because youve been eating them in your burgers
for the past three weeks.
For more information, a list of partici-pating chefs and
restaurants, and to learn how to get involved, visit
BetterBurgerPro-ject.org and follow #betterburgerproject on Twitter
and Instagram.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, e-mail
[email protected].
The mushroom burger...Continued from Page 31
e i
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34 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26,
2015
Kennett Square
hours monday-saturdaycheck website for availability
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS
35
Kennett Square
200 East State Street, Kennett Square, PA 19348
Tues-Fri 10-6; Sat 10-5; Closed Sunday &
Mondaywww.longwoodartgallery.com
610.444.0146
Mushroom Festival Specials15% off
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Gallery-Owned Framed Art
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-
36 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26,
2015
Kennett Square
Kennett Square Inn RestaurantKennett Square Inn
RestaurantKennett Square Inn Restaurant
Broad & State Streets, Kennett Square, PA 19348(one minute
South of Longwood Gardens)
610-444-5687Chef Alfred Jackson www.kennettinn.com
Restored 1835 Colonial Inn Formal Outside Patio DiningAmerican
Cuisine Lite Fare in Tavern Open Everyday
Great place for showers,rehearsals, or family get-togethers
-
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS
37
Kennett SquareT
H
EGR
OWING TR
EE
TOY SHOP
610-444-8484www.thegrowingtree.com
114 W. State St. (lower level),
Kennett Square
Largest Selection ofMelissa & Doug in the Area
Best Kept Secret Under The Mushroom Cap
Laser Pegs Sands Alive Calico CrittersName Trains You Name It
Barrettes
and more!
Mushroom Festival Sale!Melissa & Doug Activity Pads
Buy 2, Get 1 FREE!Arts & Crafts Games Puzzles
Balloons Free Gift Wrap
Chester CountysChoice Source
for Mushrooms
Be sure to visit...
Open 7 days 1st Fridays until 9pm
(610) 444-8484www.themushroomcap.com
114 West State Street, Kennett Square, PA
Mushroom Festival &Midnight in the Square Headquarters
Featuring: Fresh Kennett Square MushroomsSnackNShrooms Gourmet
Food Products and More!
-
38 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26,
2015
By Steven HoffmanStaff Writer
Its mid-July and the Mushroom Festival is still nearly two
months away, but Rhonda Sarver is already hard at work solving one
of a thousand details that will need to be ad-dressed in order for
the Mushroom Festival to run like the world-class food festival
that it is.
Sarver is the vendor chairperson for the festival, and after
handling this job for the last eight years, she has the duties down
to a science. She sums up her job as vendor chairper-son very
simplyI make sure our vendors are happy-- but it takes a great deal
of intelligent planning and thoughtful diplomacy to organize the
enormously popular Street Fair portion of the Mushroom
Festival.
If youve ever found it difficult to plan a meal for one fam-ily
so that everyone is happy, try figuring out how to please 100,000
people. Sarver is charged with not only selecting which vendors
will participate in the festival, she also has to map out where
they are stationed.
By all accounts, she does a very good job of keeping the vendors
happy.
She is a very important to the festival, said Kathi Lafferty,
the Mushroom Festival coordinator who oversees the entire festival.
We wouldnt have a festival without the vendor chairperson. Rhonda
is great at what she does. She works well with all the vendors.
Its one of the toughest jobs for the Mushroom Festival,
explained Jan Chadwick, a festival volunteer who previ-ously served
as a vendor chairperson. It takes months and months to do it.
Sarver, a resident of Smyrna, Del., first got involved with the
Mushroom Festival in 1992, when she was a vendor selling
hand-painted glassware. She had some very specific ideas about
where she needed to be placed along the Street Fair in order to be
successful. She also knew how vendors should be grouped together so
that the crowd could keep moving through the Street Fair in an
orderly fashion without getting tied up in a bottleneck.
Mushroom Festival organizers talked to Sarver about tak-ing over
as the vendor chairperson. She eventually agreed.
I just didnt know how much sleep I wouldnt get doing the job,
Sarver joked.
Vendors start applying to be a part of the Mushroom Fes-
Rhonda Sarver, vendor chairperson
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
Courtesy photos (2)Rhonda Sarvers children also help out in a
variety of ways at the Mushroom Festival.
tival more than seven months in advance, and as the event draws
closer, the challenges that the vendor chairperson faces
multiply.
Sarver explained that her first priority is to bring in the best
possible vendors for the festival, because that makes it more
likely that attendees will have an overall positive experience.
We are a food festival first and foremost, and I want to make
sure that we have quality food, Sarver explained. We want to have
good food for the attendees. We dont want to take away from our
restaurants, which are all com-pletely amazing.
Much of the focus, of course, is on mushrooms, and as anyone who
has attended the Mushroom Festival will at-test, there are plenty
of opportunities to enjoy the areas top crop in a variety of
dishes, ranging from mushroom soup to fried mushrooms to sandwiches
that include mushrooms.
Its also important to have food for everyone, including
youngsters who typically prefer hot dogs or chicken nuggets over
more sophisticated foods, so Sarver has to strategically decide
which food vendors will best fit the Street Fair. Last year, Sarver
brought in a vendor that sold pierogies, and that was a great
addition.
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS
39
Its amazing the quality of food that we have, Sarver
explained.
One of the most important jobs of the vendor chairperson is
mapping out where all the vendors will be placed during the
festival. You dont want an ice cream vendor next to an ice cream
vendor, and if you end up with one too many ice cream vendors
overall, then none of them are happy.
We have about 245 spaces, Sarver explained. Some of the spaces
are for the sponsors and we get between 175 and 225 vendors from
all over the area.
The Mushroom Festival has grown tremendously over its 30-year
history. Sarver recalled that when she first came to the festival
as a vendor, the street festival only extended a few blocks.
Every time weve come up on an anniversary, it just gets extended
further and further, she explained.
The Mushroom Festival has grown in stature as a top food
festivalto the point where some vendors come from as far away as
Ohio and Wisconsin, which is a good thing, but no one wants to
travel that far and not have a successful weekend.
During the Mushroom Festival, Sarver is very busy attend-ing to
the needs of the vendors. In fact, she usually enlists the help of
her children, Sierra, Rebecca, and Brendin.
If you need help, you can contact me or my children, she
explained. We will help out with anything that any-
body needs.Sarver does everything that she can to ensure that
all the
vendors are happy with the event. One illustration that the
Mushroom Festival organization works hard to make sure that vendors
and attendees have a good time is the fact that so many vendors
return year after year.
We get a lot of repeat vendorsabout 80 percent of them come back
from one year to the next.
Its no small diplomatic feat to keep all the vendors happy with
their placement. Some spots along the Street Fair are obviously in
high demand. Sarver said that by now all the vendors know that she
will be fair with them, and they also know that if they have any
concerns, they can let her know and she will be responsive to
them.
Occasionally, shell suggest that a vendor move from one location
to another for strategic purposesbecause she thinks it will improve
the visibility for a product or make the flow of the crowd
easier.
Every time Ive moved a vendor, it has worked out pretty well,
Sarver explained. All the vendors know that I will work with them.
Besides, I dont think theres a bad spot on that street during the
Mushroom Festival. And were always shifting things or making a
change here or there to keep it all fresh.
To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email
[email protected].
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40 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26,
2015
By Richard L. GawStaff Writer
Dr. D. Duer Reynolds, a prominent local physician; Ray Lyman
Ott, head of the Kennett Consolidated School music department; and
The Kennett Square Chamber of Commerce founded the Kennett
Commu-nity Symphony Orchestra in 1940 as an all-volunteer
orchestra.
That landmark formation was made 75 years ago, and even though
it has evolved into an association of professional musicians and
gained a reputation for producing quality symphonic music that has
enter-
In 1940, a physician and a teacher formed an all-volunteer
orchestra in Chester County. Now, 75 years later, the Kennett
Symphony of Chester County has become a refl ection of not only its
luminous past, but the plans it is making for its future
The magical, unstoppable sound of the Peoples Symphony
tained thousands of concert-goers, the Symphony is not one to
rest its future on the accomplishments of its past.
In fact, the Symphonys Board, its Executive Direc-tor Monica
Buffington, and its Music Director Michael Hall, are in the middle
of carving out a major, three-step initiative that will serve as a
platform for the Symphonys future. For now, however, theyre about
to throw you a party.
In partnership with the Mushroom Festival, the Sym-phony will
perform American Flair! on Sept. 12, beginning at 7:30 p.m. at the
Festivals Special Event Tent on the corner of Willow and State
Streets in Ken-
Courtesy photoThe Kennett Symphony of Chester County will
perform a concert at the 30th annual Mushroom Festival on Sept. 12,
in honor of its 75th anniversary.
-
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS
41
nett Square. The free concert will feature a potpourri of tunes
from the Broadway and movie musical genre, as well as Great
American standards. The Symphony will perform selections from West
Side Story, Les Miserables, and Chicago, as well as music from the
films Star Wars, Apollo 13 and Frozen.
The concert will serve as a giant Thank You to the many friends
and alliances who have graced the Symphony with their patronage
over the years, Ex-ecutive Director Monica Buffington said.
The Kennett Symphony has enjoyed nearly 75 years of history
here, and it takes a community supporting, engaging and believing
that Kennett Square and the surrounding county should have a
professional sym-phony orchestra, she said. This is the perfect way
to thank our community, which is to share what theyve enabled us to
do.
The partnership between The Mushroom Festival and the Symphony
seemed as perfect as the Chester County countryside, said
Buffington, who approached Festival organizer Kathi Lafferty over a
year ago with the idea to stage a concert that would not only
cel-ebrate the Symphonys 75th anniversary, but the 30th anniversary
of The Mushroom Festival.
Courtesy photoMaestro Michael Hall, musical director of the
Kennett Symphony of Chester County.Continued on Page 42
-
42 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26,
2015
We set our sights on it, and the Mushroom Festi-val board made
it happen, Buffington said. We could not be more grateful for this
opportunity.
The Sept. 12 concert kicks off the Symphonys commemorative
season of concerts that will take them to four different venues
from October through August 2016. Its opening night concert on Oct.
17 at Unionville High School will include a world premiere
commission by composer Anthony Constantino, who is writing a
masterwork to celebrate the Symphonys 75th year.
Pop Goes the Holiday, which will be performed on Dec. 5 at
Unionville High School, will be a col-
Kennett Symphony...Continued from Page 41
Courtesy photoThe Symphony will perform two concerts at Longwood
Gardens during its 2015-2016 season.
Continued on Page 44
-
44 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26,
2015
laboration between the Symphony and its Childrens Chorus and the
First State Ballet Theatre, for an eve-ning of holiday
favorites.
On March 13, 2016 at Asplundh Hall at West Ches-ter University,
the Symphonys annual family concert, Music Can Change the World,
will bring parents and families together for an afternoon of music,
fun and education. In addition to a full line-up of works by
Barber, Verdi and Beethoven, children will have an opportunity to
meet the members of thei Symphony, as well as get a chance to touch
their musical instru-ments. The Symphonys second Masterworks
concert of the season, Immortal Beethoven, will be held on April 3
at the Longwood Gardens Conservancy, will feaure Beethovens
immortal Fifth Symphony, as well as works by Sibelius and
Mendelssohn.
Postcards From Abroad: A Musical Journey Through Europe, to be
held on Aug. 13, 2016 at the Open Air Theatre at Longwood Gardens,
will take concert-goers on a musical journey of another part of the
world, with works by Mozart, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Rossini and
Kennett Symphony...Continued from Page 42
Courtesy photo
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS
45
other composers.For any communi-
ty-based symphony orchestra to survive, the role of its
volunteer corps is vital, but in order to help author and
facili-tate its mission, it needs the perfect melding of its
executive director, mu-sic director and board president. In the
past few years, these positions all became open at the
Symphony.
In the life of an orchestra, those are three critical roles. The
Kennett Symphony all experienced transitions in all of these roles,
all at the same time, Buffington said. We looked at it Courtesy
photoThe Symphonys annual family concert on March 13, 2016 will be
followed with opportunities for children to
experience the thrill of playing the musical instruments of the
orchestra.Continued on Page 46
-
46 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26,
2015
as an opportunity to engage a team that would serve to inspire,
to fill roles that serve to inspire, plan and execute our
future.
Buffington pointed to the work of now-retired Music Director
Mary Woodmansee Green, who served as the Symphonys music director
from 1988 to 2013, as be-ing a catalyst that enabled the Symphony
to become a professional orchestra. Filling her shoes, however, was
an important step for the Symphony, and after an 18-month search
for the right successor, the board chose Hall.
My role is to nurture and develop this great artistic talent on
stage, Hall said. We are proud to present diverse musical
offerings, attracting different segments of our community, from our
Holiday concert to our Family concerts, that are tailor-made for
young people. We are constantly striving to offer more
opportunities for our community to experience the joy of orchestral
music, and our free concert in cooperation with the Mushroom
Festival is just such an endeavor.
Continued from Page 44
Kennett Symphony...
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS
47
My vision is for the Kennett Symphony to play a leading role in
the arts in this wonderful community.
The Symphony direction now includes a new strate-gic plan,
currently being facilitated by a retired DuPont business
development leader and a strategic planning committee that is made
up with internal board mem-bers and community leaders, with Hall
serving as the artistic lead. The group put together a three-year
plan that includes new marketing, community engagement and product
offering plans.
Where do we perform, when do we perform and what do we perform?
Buffington said. More impor-tantly, what does our community tell us
theyd lke to have more access to?
Where do people want us to be? Because of that market research,
we now have a new organizational vision, and were workinghard to
implement that new vision.
Infused within these goals, Buffington will be de-termining ways
to bridge the stereotypical gulf that sometimes exists between a
symphony orchestra and those who have merely a passing interest in
that par-ticular genre of music.
Its futhering the accessibility of what we do, in or-
der to create great music and merge it with audiences who are
not necessarily core afficianados, Buffington said. Our goal is to
let these audiences know that this music is for everyone. You dont
have to have a degree in music. Its okay if you clap in the middle.
Its okay of you come in jeans. Its about the music.
We all feel, we all hear and we all see, and music has that
ability to touch and enter your soul, and it will affect you
differently from the person sitting next to you, but thats the
whole point, she said. In the end, its what you take from the
experience.
Listening to live orchestral music played by a profes-sional
symphony orchestra is absolutely thrilling, Hall said. Once you
experience it, you are hooked. It is the desire of the Kennett
Symphony to share this incredible gift of music with everyone.
For more information about its Sept. 12 performance at the
Mushroom Festival, details on its 2015-2016 season, tickets and
subscriptions, as well as volunteer opportunities, visit the
Kennett Symphony of Chester Countys website at
www.kennettsymphony.org or call 610-444-6363.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, e-mail
[email protected] .
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-
48 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26,
2015
Chef Fabio Viviani has possessed a passion for food since his
childhood, growing up in Florence, Italy. At 11, he worked nights
at a local bakery (since he was too young to officially join the
staff) and, during his teenage years, held several positions in the
restaurant industry, even serving un-der the mentorship of Simone
Mugnaini, an iconic figure in the Italian restaurant industry.
Between his training in Italian and Mediterranean cui-sine at
IPSSAR Saffi, and working with culinary luminaries such as Simone
Mugnaini, Alessandro Panzani and Saverio Carmagini, Viviani owned
and operated five restaurants in Florence, a farm house and two
nightclubs by the time he was 27. Although a well-respected
businessman in Italy, he was ready for a change and moved to
Ventura County, Ca-lif., where he opened Caf Firenze in
Moorpark.
Teaming up with one of Chicagos most innovative restaurant
consulting groups, Dine|Amic, Viviani went on to open Siena Tavern
in Chicago in 2013, where it received
FABIO VIVIANI
Courtesy photo: Fabio Viviani will be at the Mushroom Festival
on Saturday.
Continued on Page 50
Hang out with some superstar chefs
Lambert Spawn is proud tosupport the Mushroom Festival on
its
30th Anniversary.
lambertspawn.com
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS
49
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50 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26,
2015
accolades. The year 2014 saw the debut of Mercato by Fabio
Viviani, a quick-service Italian concept in Chicago and San Diego,
the opening of Siena Tavern Miami, and the launch of the Fabio
Viviani Wine Collection.
Hes perhaps best known for his television debut on Bra-vos hit
reality series, Top Chef (earning the Fan Favorite title), but his
on-screen appearances have propelled him to become one of the
fastest growing household names in the country. In addition to
competing in Bravos Top Chef All Stars and starring in the spinoff,
Life After Top Chef, Vivi-ani has appeared as a recurring guest on
television shows such as Good Morning America, The Talk, The Chew,
Ellen, Good Day LA, and Access Hollywood.
He hosts a regular spot on the QVC shopping channel, with
various kitchen appliances and products, and is a re-curring guest
host on the Hallmark Channel series Home and Family. He was also
the host of the award-winning web series Chow Ciao! on Yahoo!, one
of the top 10 life-style and food shows on the internet.
Off screen, Viviani is a regular headliner at global food events
and festivals, sells his own line of ceramic cookware, and is a
proud endorser of beloved brands such as Bialetti Cookware,
Bertolli Olive Oil and Bauli authentic Italian
baked goods. He has authored three successful cookbooks: Caf
Firenze Cookbook, Fabios Italian Kitchen, and his most recent
cookbook, Fabios American Home Kitchen, released in the fall of
2014.
Viviani also regularly shares recipes with his fans through his
own digital magazine, Fabios Magazine.
Born and raised in Philadelphia, chef Brian Duffy had his first
experiences in the kitchen as a young child with his big
Irish-Italian family. Those experiences introduced him to culinary
life and led him to study at Philadelphias The Restaurant School at
Walnut Hill College.
Culinary school may have taught him technique, but it was those
Sunday nights cooking with his family where he developed his
passion.
After graduation, he worked under James Beard Award-winning chef
Jean Marie LaCroix at The Four Seasons in Philadelphia. From there,
he partnered in opening Kristo-phers, a BYOB concept that received
widespread critical acclaim. It was through opening his own brick
and mortar that Duffy began to realize his flair for refined,
modernized Irish pub fare, and coined the term New Celtic
cuisine.
Duffy brought his New Celtic point of view to the Dave Magrogan
Group as their corporate executive chef for
BRIAN DUFFY
Super chefs...Continued from Page 48
Continued on Page 52
-
Across from the Kennett YMCA convenient to Genesis offices on
State St & S Broad St. Also to Exelon on E Baltimore Pike
always a pleasure to provide shuttle service.
(610) 444-3830 (610) 444-3777465 E State Street, Kennett Square,
PA 19348
PA STATE & EMISSIONS INSPECTIONS BRAKES TIRES TUNE UPSPA
STATE & EMISSIONS INSPECTIONS BRAKES TIRES TUNE UPSPA STATE
& EMISSIONS INSPECTIONS BRAKES TIRES TUNE UPS
We Are Just Here to Help!
AUTOMOTIVE
Home of the Holiday Food Blitz.Accepting Donations for
theKennett Community Service
During Business Hours.
Please drop offnew unwrapped Toysstarting November 1!
Toys For Eli2ND ANNUAL
This has been my life for 45 years and yet it
isn't about cars, trucks, engines and their
challenges. It's all about my clients in need
and my ability to help them with what is best
for them and their families. Being able to
serve you, meet you and be part of your life
as you are mine, is why I do what I do. I
don't claim to be the best or the smartest but
I do promise to be honest, caring, fair and
provide a solution even if I need help. I
believe we should all do what we can to help
those in our community so I started the
Holiday Food Blitz in 2008, which benefits the Kennett Area
Community Service. Then the Lucky Dog Food
Blitz in 2010 in the honor of my beloved Lucky Dog to benefit
local pets and Faithful Friends. I also work
with the Kennett Senior Center and volunteer with the Mushroom
Festival and it's car show. Blitz sponsors
the KAPRB Spring High School Basketball League also.
Our Best to All in Kennett,
Bob & Bryan Blittersdorf & Staff
Blitz Automotive
I welcome my son Bryan back to the shop this Spring. We are now
looking to take Blitz to the next level for you!
We invite everyone to stop in, if only for a meet and greet!
Many have driven by for
years and wondered what we are about. It really is all about
you,
as our motto says....
We are Just Here to Help!
STOP IN!
www.braveeli.com
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52 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26,
2015
Doc Magrogans Oyster House, Harvest Season Grill and Kildares
Irish Pubs.
Following his successful tenure with the Dave Magrogan Group,
Duffy joined forces with Seafood American as a consultant and
executive chef, where he developed fresh and frozen products for
grocery chains across the world.
Duffy is perhaps most recognized from his television appearances
on the wildly popular Spike TV series Bar Rescue, where he tours
the country (sometimes on his Harley Davidson) reforming failing
bars and restaurants with his tell it like it is style.
He made his on-camera debut on the Food Network se-ries Date
Plate, and has appeared on countless segments on the DIY Network,
HGTV, NBC, and Fine Living Net-work. Chef Duffy has appeared on The
Today Show since 2006 for the St. Patricks Day Irish cook-off. He
even has his own signature spice, Duffified Spice, which is
avail-able on his website.
On and off camera, Duffy works with restaurants across the
country, updating their menus and coaching them through much-needed
facelifts. His proven success has made him one of the most
in-demand restaurant consultants.
When he isnt with clients, he is usually hanging out with his
adorable chefs-in-training, daughters Emily and Fiona.
Courtesy photoBrian Duffy will be at the Mushroom Festival on
Sunday.
Super chefs...Continued from Page 50
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS
53
By John ChamblessStaff Writer
If you come to the Mushroom Festival every year, you al-ready
know how tasty and versatile mushrooms can be. But even if youre a
newcomer to cooking with mushrooms, the recipes in a new cookbook
available this year will be sure to tempt you.
The 30th Annual Mushroom Festival cookbook is being put together
by Jennifer Basciani, who is the wife of Vince Basciani, the
partner/owner of MD Basciani & Sons, Inc. Shes a veteran of
cookbook projects, having put together the book for the festivals
25th anniversary as well.
I volunteered to do it, she said recently. I love cookbooks!
All the recipes in the book have been tested and ap-proved at
past Mushroom Festivals. People are very creative and try to come
up with different uses for mush-rooms, Basciani said.
Theres a wide variety of shapes, types and flavors of
Thirty years of favorite recipesNew cookbook collects the best
of past festivals
Photo by Jeanna Bissinger
mushrooms, and the sheer number can be intimidating to cooks.
Mushrooms are delicious and so good for you, Basciani said. Dont be
scared just try something as simple as roasting a bunch of maiitake
mushrooms on high
Continued on Page 54
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54 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26,
2015
Favorite recipes...Continued from Page 53
heat until just browned broken up into bite-sized pieces and
tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper. Or marinate some portabella
mushrooms in Italian vinaigrette, then grill until softened. There
are a lot of very simple and straightforward recipes in this book
that you are sure to love.
The books are $12 and will be sold at the festival this year.
They will then be sold at the Mushroom Cap store in Kennett
Square.
Here are a few of the recipes that Basciani has selected for the
book:
Pat Ciarrocchis Mushrooms With Prosciutto1 lb. fresh mushrooms1
slice prosciutto, minced2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese2 Tbsp.
breadcrumbs1 Tbsp.parsley, minced1 egg cup olive oilSalt and
pepper
Rinse mushrooms and remove stems. Chop stems very finely.
Combine prosciutto, cheese, breadcrumbs, mush-room stems, parsley
and beaten egg. Add salt and pepper
to taste. Stuff caps with mixture and place on a baking sheet.
Drizzle with olive oil and bake uncovered at 300 for 25 to 30
minutes.
Warm Mushroom Salad With Poached Eggs and Bacon VinaigretteChef
Antonia Lofaso
For the salad:1 cup chopped smoked center-cut bacon 8 tbsp.
olive oil cup sunchokes (aka Jerusalem artichokes), peeled
&
Photo by Jeanna Bissinger
BLOCK Us in asSupporters of the
30th AnnualMushroom Festival
HyTech - Needhams - Menu Mate - FastrakMushroom Farms, Inc.
610-869-0202
-
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS
55
diced in -inch pieces1 lb. wild mushrooms2 tsp. chopped chervil
2 tsp. chopped chivesSalt & pepper, to taste4 cups mche (a.k.a.
lambs lettuce), or torn butter lettuce16 squash blossoms, center
buds removedFor the dressing: cup fat rendered from the chopped
bacon (above) cup extra-virgin olive oil8 Tbsp. sherry vinegar4
Tbsp. Dijon mustard4 Tbsp. honeyPinch of salt (about teaspoon)Pinch
of black pepper (about teaspoon)For the poached eggs:6 cups water
tsp. salt5 Tbsp.white vinegar4 eggsFor the salad:
Start with rendering the fat from the bacon. This is a
slow-cooking process. If you try to rush it, youll lose all the
rich bacon fat youre trying to render for your dressing, and youll
burn the bacon in the process. On medium-low heat,
Continued on Page 64
Photo by Jeanna Bissinger
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-
56 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26,
2015
By Steve Hoffman and Maggie Horgan
The Mushroom Festival is celebrating its 30th anni-versary in
Kennett Square in 2015, so to commemorate the special occasion,
here is a list of 30 interesting facts about mushrooms.
1. J.B. Swayne is credited with starting mush room-growing in
the United States, and where did Mr. Swayne cultivate these
mushrooms? Kennett Square, of course.
2. Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of certain fungi---the
equivalent of the apple, not the tree. Fungi, including those which
produce mushrooms, are not plants; they are related to molds,
mildews, rusts, and yeasts, and are classified in the Fungi
Kingdom.
3. Mushroom farmers process a number of agricultural by-products
to create a nutrient-dense growing medium that can be used as a
soil amendment after the mushroom grow-ing process.
4. Only Pharaohs in ancient Egypt were allowed to eat mushrooms
because it was believed that the mushrooms appeared magically
overnight. It was speculated at the time that lightning may have
created the mushrooms.
5. Mushrooms were utilized initially as a kind of medicine, not
as a food source.
6. Mushrooms have been eaten for thousands of years and can grow
almost anywhere.
7. The first recorded effort to cultivate mushrooms occurred
around 1700 in France.
8. Mushroom growing in the United States began after the Civil
War. At first, the growing seasons were very short.
30 interesting facts about mushrooms
Photo by Jeanna Bissinger
9. Mushroom production has also become increasingly high-tech
with more and more computers being used to monitor production at
each step.
10. The American Mushroom Institute, which is now head-quartered
in Washington, D.C., was founded right here in Chester County in
the 1950s.
11. There are literally thousands of different mushroom species
grown around the world. Only twenty or so are cul-tivated for
commercial purposes, though.
12. The average American eats about four pounds of mushrooms
every year, according to the United States Department of
Agriculture.
13. Almost any mushroom, except for the regular white, is
considered to be an exotic.
-
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS
57
Photo by Jeanna Bissinger
14. One portabella mushroom has more potassium than a
banana.
15. Fresh mushrooms dont freeze well. If it is necessary to
freeze them, first saut them with butter or oil in a non-stick pan.
Then cool slightly before freezing them in an airtight
container.
16. The humungous fungus: The largest living organism ever found
is a honey mushroom, Armillaria ostoyae. It covers 3.4 square miles
of land in the Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon, and its still
growing!
17. According to the Mushroom Council, the United States is the
second biggest producer of mushrooms. China is the number one
grower of the crop.
18. Portabella mushrooms, known for their meat-like texture and
flavor, can reach a size of six inches in diameter.
19. Mushrooms are low in calories and contain no fat or so-dium.
They are a very popular ingredient in salads.
20. An extract (Lentinan) from shiitake (for centuries called
Elixir of Life ) has been licensed as an anti-cancer drug by the
Japanese FDA. Lentinan has shown some effect on bowel cancer, liver
cancer, stomach cancer, ovarian cancer and lung cancer.
21. Under the proper conditions, some mushroom spores can sit
dormant for decades or longer, and still grow.
22. Mushrooms are one of the most difficult commodities to grow.
It is very labor intensive to produce a consistent, high-quality
crop.
23. In 1990, the Mushroom Promotion, Research and Con-sumer
Information Act was passed by Congress to strengthen the mushroom
industrys position in the marketplace, main-tain and expand
existing markets and uses for mushrooms, and develop new markets
and uses for mushrooms. In 1993, the Mushroom Council was
established to achieve the goals of this act.
24. Mushrooms love the dark. They thrive on it.
25. The national trend over the last two decades has been for
more mushrooms to be grown by fewer, but larger, com-panies. This
is because of the high costs of doing business.
26. Fungi recycle plants after they die and transform them into
rich soil. If not for mushrooms and fungi, the Earth would be
buried in several feet of debris.
27. Mushrooms grow from spores, not seeds, and a single mature
mushroom may drop as many as 16 billion spores.
28. In some ways, mushrooms are more closely related to animals
than plants because they take in oxygen for their digestion and
metabolism and exhale carbon dioxide as a waste product.
29. Early Romans referred to mushrooms as the food of the
gods.
30. There are over 38,000 varieties of mushrooms available, over
3,000 in North America alone, with varying colors, textures and
flavors. There are so many varieties of mush-rooms, both edible and
toxic, that mass consumption is pretty much limited to those
commercially-grown varieties which can be trusted to be edible.
Mushrooms are available fresh, dried, and in powder form.
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Friday, September 11
Pre-Parade EntertainmentJoin us at 5:30 pm at State and Union
for pre-parade entertainment provided by Karen Myers Dance
studio.
Community ParadeJoin us for our annual Community Pa-rade on
Friday evening, September 11. Our theme: We Remember honors the
emergency services personnel that are dedicated to helping us when
we need them most. The event kicks off with the raising of the flag
across State Street (at Union) at 6 p.m.
Dining and Dancing in the StreetsCome into Kennett Square
Borough for the parade and then stay to enjoy the
Mushroom Festival 2015Mushroom Festival 2015Schedule of Events
& Map
sounds of Good Foot, one of the areas favorite dance bands.
State Street res-taurants will have special tables lining the
Community Parade route where you can watch the Parade while you
enjoy your dinner.Before the parade and after the pa-rade until
9:30 pm.
Old Fashioned CarnivalTake a trip down memory lane when summer
meant the carnival came to town for a couple of days. Majestic
Midways will once again set up at the Genesis Building (South Broad
Street) with rides, games, and carnival foods bringing the sights,
sounds, and scents of this great family tradition back to Ken-nett
Square.6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Saturday,September 12
Street FairOver 200 vendors from all over the country will line
the streets with arts, crafts, food and more. Restaurants in the
downtown area will prepare their mushroom specialty dishes. The
Street Fair spans from Willow Street to Garfield Street.10 a.m. to
7 p.m.
Antique and Classic Car ShowShady and spacious Broad Street,
with its numerous examples of Victorian architecture, provides the
backdrop to our Antique and Classic Car Show.11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Culinary EventsThe Culinary Tent, at the corner of Broad Street
and Cypress Street (next to the Growers Exhibit), brings a wide
range of chefs to Kennett Square to share their love of cooking
with mushrooms. Guest chefs sharing their tips and recipes on the
Giorgi Demonstration Kitchen this year include:12:30 pm: Fabio
Vivani, from Bravos Top Chef (demo & book signing)2 pm: Lisa
Keys, of Kennett Square, a Food TV Chopped Champion 3 pm: Fabio
Vivani, from Bravos Top Chef (demo & book signing)4:30 p.m.:
Chef Amy Falkenstein, of Vetri Foundation
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS
59
Continued on Page 60
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KENNETT SQUARE, PA Mushroom Capital of the World
EVENT LOCATIONS
CHILDRENSSTAGE
PARADEROUTE ENDS
PARADEROUTE STARTS
CULINARYEVENT
GROWERS EXHIBIT
SPECIALEVENTS TENT
SOUVENIRS
MUSHROOMSOUP
(SAT & SUN)
I
COMMUNITYSTAGE
A
BC
DEFG
M
SU
MM
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CELEBRATING OUR 30TH ANNIVERSARY
FP2
- Fes
tival
Par
king
Kenn
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igh
Scho
ol FP1- Festival ParkingExelon
N
S
EW
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P
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SCARL ETT ALLEY
CHILDRENS RIDES
U
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Mushroom Festival 2015
E
(purchase wristbands here)
Bus Stop
Entrance
First Aid & Public Saftey
Information
E
I
FESTIVAL ADMISSION- $3Everyone 12 and older is required to
purchase a festival admission wristband proceeds benefit local
non-profit organizations and cancer research.
In 2014, the Mushroom Festival awarded $80,000 in grants to 47
local non-profit organizations.
Since 2000, the Mushroom Festival has given over $700,000 to
local non-profits through our Grants Program.
*FESTIVAL PARKINGFP1 & FP2 - Festival parking provided at
these locations for a fee of $10. FREE shuttle to and from the main
festival area.
(Scan QR codefor more information)
Mushroom Sales
Mushroom Pick-up
Parking- Handicap(Parking Garage)
M
U
LEGE
ND
Parking
Restrooms
Block Letters
Parade Route
P
ABC
In case of Severe Weather: Safety Shelter: First floor of
Parking Garage (corner of N. Union and Linden Streets)Updates and
details will be posted at mushroomfestival.org as