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Imagine coffee was a $1 and and egg sandwich made with 2 eggs and bacon was $2.80. One fried egg with delicious home fries, onions and toast was a $1.80! I decided to splurge and try a Pennsylvania staple called scrapple as a side for a $1. Let's just say I tried it and it it wasn't bad. Just say I knocked it off the food bucket list.
What is it??
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The dictionary defined it as "cornmeal mush made with the meat and broth of pork, seasoned with onions, spices and herbs and shaped into loaves for slicing and frying." The word, scrapple originates from "scrap" or "scrappy" meaning made up of odds and ends for that's exactly what it is—boiled, ground leftover pig scraps with cornmeal and spices thrown in.
Scrapple is the unique creation of the Pennsylvania Dutch, and therefore only quasi-American as the immigrants combined their German heritage with New World ingredients. The term "Pennsylvania Dutch" is a corrupted form of Pennsylvania Deutsche, mostly transplanted Rhineland farmers who worked hard and ate heartily. They are frugal people and many of their dishes make imaginative use of every part of the butchered hog's anatomy. Scrapple is one of them.
Scrapple is the unique creation of the Pennsylvania Dutch, and therefore only quasi-American as the immigrants combined their German heritage with New World ingredients. The term "Pennsylvania Dutch" is a corrupted form of Pennsylvania Deutsche, mostly transplanted Rhineland farmers who worked hard and ate heartily. They are frugal people and many of their dishes make imaginative use of every part of the butchered hog's anatomy. Scrapple is one of them.
I hope to visit PA this coming Summer! Great place with great food!!!
ReplyDeleteI imagine it might be a nicer dish if you made it at home. Everything made from "scraps" in a restaurant is exactly that. Sounds quite interesting and hearty though.
ReplyDeletepersonally, I am a fan of scrapple! just don't get too curious about the ingredients...
ReplyDeleteYou know, as I looked at that pic, I though, "wow, that looks familiar." Then I read where it was and I think I have eaten there once!
I've never eaten scrapple either. Next time we're visiting family in PA, I'm going to try it.
ReplyDeleteI've never even heard of scrapple. It doesn't sound very appealing, but I will try it next time I'm passing through Pennsylvania Dutch country!
ReplyDeleteI'm not even close to being a picky eater, but scrapple is not one of my favorites. My husband, however, loves it. My in-laws are not too far from Kutztown, I'll have to check out the diner.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it fun to sometimes just head out on an impromptu adventure?! I love checking out the food at places like that - and so often it's actually good! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteIt's not every diner chef that will sprinkle chives on the sunny-side-up eggs! (If that's a picture of your actual plate of food.) Impressive!
ReplyDeleteI do think that there is something like scrapple served around here. We have a large German and a large Mennonite populations. I haven't tried it though, but I would try it at least once.
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