North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Lucky Pittman <lucky.pittman@murraystate.edu>]

this one came across the RuralKyIn discussion list today:

> for those who like Pawpaws...
>
> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 5, 2003
>
> Contact:  Chris Chmiel @ 740-698-2124 or pawpaw@frognet.net
>
> State's `First Fruit' Celebrated at Ohio Pawpaw Festival
>
> Albany, Ohio Join fanatics from around the country at the peak of the
> season for two days filled with pawpaws - North America's largest
> native tree fruit  for the 5th Annual Ohio Pawpaw Festival on
> Saturday, September 13 and Sunday, September 14, 2003.  Held at Lake
> Snowden near Albany, Ohio, this premier festival features all things
> pawpaw foodstuffs, beer, music, art, history, trees and much more.
>
> Major features of the festival include:
>
> The Pawpaw Big Top (both days) - A tent dedicated solely to
> the pawpaw, this is the place to be if you're interested in learning
> more about pawpaws. Smell, touch and, most importantly, taste this
> wonderful tropical-flavored fruit that's been growing in America for
> thousands of years.
>
>
> Pawpaw growers from across the country will have their best fruit
> available. Taste samples of select varieties, purchase fruit to take
> home, buy trees to plant and talk with pawpaw researchers and experts.
> Representatives from the Ohio Pawpaw Growers Association (OPGA), the
> PawPaw Foundation, Kentucky State University's Pawpaw Program, Ohio
> University's School of Human and Consumer Sciences and Rural Action's
> Sustainable Forestry Program will all help answer your pawpaw
> questions. Presentations on pawpaw growing, cooking, genetics,
> medicinal uses and more will be going on all day.
>
>
> Best pawpaw competition (11:30 a.m. on Saturday) - This annual
> event recognizes the many nuances of pawpaw flavors and
> characteristics abounding in select and `wild' pawpaw varieties. How
> does one talk about and describe this delicate flavor? What makes this
> a good pawpaw? What makes this a bad pawpaw? This year's event,
> sponsored by The PawPaw Foundation, and will award plaques and cash
> prizes of $100 for first, $75 for second and $50 for third (plus
> bragging rights) to the top fruits submitted.
>
>
> Pawpaw cook-off (2:00 p.m. on Saturday)  Professional chefs
> and amateurs alike are invited to compete in the cook-off, which
> features four categories: beverages, breads, desserts and sauces.
> Winners will receive plaques for first prize in each category.
>
>
> Pawpaw eating contest (5:00 p.m. on Saturday) - The rules are
> simple. With hands behind their backs, contestants must slurp down a
> pound of seedy pawpaw pulp, leaving nothing behind but clean pawpaw
> seeds. The first person to spit all their seeds out clean wins!
>
>
> Pawpaw beer garden (opens at noon on Saturday) - Come enjoy an
> award-winning Pawpaw Stout, or broaden your botanical beer experience
> by sipping a Spruce Tip Amber or a Spicewood Pilsner. These totally
> unique and regional beers celebrate the botanical diversity of the
> Appalachian region.
>
>
> Celebrity judges for the competition and cook-off will include Fred
> Dailey, executive director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture;
> Suzanne Martinson, food editor of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; and Amy
> Viny, a freelance food writer from Cleveland.
>
>
> Other festival activities include:
>
>
> ·       Live music (all day Saturday)  - A full slate of entertainment
> is on tap for Saturday featuring local and regional bands.  Justin
> Gordon, Rattletrap, the Wailin' Elroys, Megan Cameron, Southeast
> Engine, Lisa DeRosia with Lush Budgett and Stella are some of the
> bands that will be playing throughout the day on Saturday.  Tony Beres
> will host an `open jam' on Sunday, so bring your drums, guitars and
> songs to share with the crowd.
>
>
> ·       The World Atlatl Association (both days)  This group returns
> for the fifth year with its teaching and throwing area. Learn about
> this ancient spear-throwing device and how to toss it. There will be a
> sanctioned competition open to the public at 2:00 p.m. on both
> Saturday and Sunday.
>
>
> ·       The Jambalaya Jam (12:00  9:00 p.m.)  Learn about fresh water
> shrimp production going on in Ohio at this new festival feature.
> There is an actual shrimp hatchery right at Lake Snowden, with on-site
> harvest demonstrations scheduled form 2:00  4:00 p.m. on Saturday.
> Jambalaya prepared by Hocking College culinary students will also be
> available for sale.
>
>
> ·       Unique Regional Artists (both days)  Artists and craftspeople
> from around the area will be displaying and selling their wares, many
> with pawpaw motifs.
>
>
> Pawpaws are rich, creamy and custard-like, and grow wild in 25 states
> east of the Mississippi River.  The pawpaw tree, known to
> horticulturists as Asimina triloba, is a member of the custard apple
> family, which contains over 2,100 tropical fruits. Of these, the
> pawpaw is the only temperate species.
>
>
> The pawpaw's nutritional superiority (it's higher in iron, niacin,
> calcium, zinc, phosphorus, manganese, magnesium, copper, protein, fat
> and seven of the 11 essential amino acids when compared to apples,
> bananas, and oranges) also helped to sustain explorers Lewis & Clark
> during parts of their expedition across America 200 years ago.
>
>
> Hours are from 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. on Saturday and from 10:00 a.m.
> - 4:00 p.m. on Sunday.  Cost is $3.00 per adult per day (kids under 12
> are free) or $10.00 per adult for the weekend which includes a campsite.
>
>
> For a detailed schedule of events, please visit www.ohiopawpaw.org or
> call the Athens County Convention and Visitors Bureau at 800-878-9767.