Ever on the lookout for the intersection of Philly institutions and new "green" thinking, I dropped by ScrappleFest 2009 on Saturday to sample a concoction some would call a contradiction in terms - vegan scrapple. I know, I know, many people have responded to the concept with some version of "that's just wrong."
Maybe so, but it exists. Sarah Cain, manager of the Fair Food Farmstand at the Reading Terminal Market (where else would ScrappleFest be held?) created the product in question, Vrapple, a little over a year ago for a friend who had gone vegetarian but missed the decadent taste of scrapple. Since I failed, in my 11 months living in Philly before I went vegetarian, to ever try the original meat product, I can't speak to how closely authentic the veggie version was, but it tasted pretty darn good to me, anyway.
Apparently I wasn't alone. Of the eight varieties of scrapple tasted and judged by a celebrity panel of food experts, Vrapple beat out seven pork-based versions to take the second-place prize.
Sarah Cain and chef John Blanchet (who worked vrapple into a recipe involving maple-roasted pumpkin) seemed rather surprised and delighted by the strong showing, and as you'll hear in the attached 4-minute podcast, were perfectly happy not taking first. "Something would be wrong with the universe" if a veggie scrapple had won at ScrappleFest, said Blanchet, while Cain added "I think someone would put a hit out on me." Congrats to both, and to Vrapple for carving out its own salty, pan-seared chunk of Philly food tradition.
The experts at Philadelphia's Energy Coordinating Agency answer your energy questions in our regular feature Stay Warm, Stay Green. Send in your question or questions to energy@phillynews.com.
Look for Jenice Armstrong to supply tips on green living as well as occasional columns on the subject of Green. She also blogs at Hey Jen.
Becky Batcha stays tuned for the here-and-now practical side of conservation, alternative energy, organic foods, etc. - stuff you can do at home now. Plus odds and ends.
Flavia Colgan has been telling Citizen Hunters how to "go green" since back before everyone got tired of that phrase. She brings her knowledge of the worlds of politics and of entertainment to the table and point you to the most useful ideas she finds on the Web.
Laurie Conrad recycles from her ever-growing e-mailbag to pass along the latest travel deals, fashion statements, household strategies, gadgets, cool local events and other nuggets of interest to those who appreciate a clean, green world.
Vance Lehmkuhl looks at topics like eco-conscious eating, public transportation and fuel-efficient driving from his perspective as a vegetarian, a daily SEPTA bus rider and a hybrid driver, as well as noting the occasional wacky trend or product.
Ronnie Polaneczky sees the green movement through the eyes of her 12-year-old daughter, who calls her on every scrap of paper or glass bottle that Ronnie neglects to toss into the house recycling bins. Ronnie will blog about new or unexpected ways to go green. She also blogs at So, What Happened Was...
Sandra Shea and the DN editorial board opine on any green-related legislation or policy. And we'll pass along some of the opeds on the subject that people send us.
Jonathan Takiff will be blogging mainly about consumer electronics - those things that we love to use and that suck too much energy. He'll spotlight green-conscious gizmos made in a responsible fashion, both in terms of materials used and the energy it takes to run them.
Signe Wilkinson draws the comic strip Family Tree, which follows the Tree family as they try to live green in the face of nattering neighbors, plastic-wrapped consumer products, and the primal teenage urge to spend vast quantities of money on hair care products of dubious organic quality.
In addition to these updates from our newsroom bloggers, watch for an occasional feature, Dumpster Diver Dispatches, from Philadelphia's original "green" community of artists, the Dumpster Divers. You'll learn about creative ways to reuse and recycle while you reduce, and about the artists who are making little masterpieces from what others throw out.
Sept. 17: A head start on cold season
Oct. 8: Help with fuel bills
Oct. 29: Last-minute ways to winterize
Nov. 19: Budgeting for the big bite
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