I have spent a lot of time in Athens County this year and have come to know many of the food folks of the area. I was able to see many of these people come together (again) in support of and as participants in the Ohio Paw Paw Festival. Our friend Chris Chmiel from Integration Acres is an integral part of the Paw Paw festival and it was a pleasure to see the event well attended on a beautiful fall day.
So what is a Paw Paw? It is Ohio’s official native fruit. More information on the Paw Paw can be found here – Paw Paw (via Slow Food Ark of Taste). The Paw Paw has become a forgotten food in the last two generations. It was once well known and part of the foodways of Ohio. Paw Paw’s are found in song and literature and for many of us the songs have been our only exposure we have had to the fruit.
My friend Hungry Woolf spent all of Saturday at the festival as a judge (4 1/2 hours) and you can read the whole play by play of the day at her blog check on or after September 21st.
Paw Paw Judges included Hungry Woolf, Barbara Fisher (Tigers and Strawberries) and Scott Bradley from Zoe
Warren Taylor (wearing hat) from Snowville Creamery with his infamous pedal powered ice cream maker
CMH Gourmand - Eating in Columbus & Ohio 