A cake decorated with asparagus. A similar dish is expected to be served at the Mullica Hill Asparagus Festival on May 17.
The Harrison Township Historical Society is hosting the annual asparagus festival on Saturday, May 17, at the Old Town Hall Museum.
The event – from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. – commemorates the first time produce was shipped by air in the United States. The historic flight took place on May 17, 1922, according to documents found by the society, and carried 800 pounds of asparagus from Mullica Hill to Boston.
“The festival celebrates asparagus,” said society trustee Cindy Madara, “but it’s also about recognizing South Jersey’s great farms and farmers that provide all of us with the freshest and best produce.”
The event will feature a variety of dishes for a meal with asparagus as a focal point. Past festivals saw cupcakes decorated with the vegetable, among other unique creations. All asparagus at the festival is provided by Mullica Hill’s own Grasso Girls Farm Market.
The main portion of the festival is a battle of the chefs contest, where five chefs in a dinner round and four bakers in a dessert round compete against each other for the best asparagus-themed creations. The top meals – decided by a panel of judges – will get trophies.
The chefs come from Marino’s of Mullica Hill, blueplate, David and Sons 322 BBQ, Harrison House and Naples at the Warehouse, and the bakers represent Cake Boutique, Amici, Artisan Marshmallow and Mademoiselle Macaron.
“For farm-to-table restaurants in New Jersey, asparagus kicks off the farm season, and the asparagus festival is the crown jewel,” explained James Malaby, chef and owner of blueplate. “Jersey asparagus by far is the sweetest around, and it is our privilege to be able to cook with it and be a part of this event.”
The Old Town Hall Museum will also be open for viewers to catch its latest exhibit, Man and Beast, and there will be exhibits about asparagus and its impact on the community. Activities for kids will be scattered around the museum and T-shirts, cookbooks and fresh asparagus will be for sale.
All proceeds benefit the historical society’s programs, exhibitions and collections.
“If you think you don’t like asparagus,” advises Madara, “then you haven’t tasted the creations from our Mullica Hill chefs, bakers and confectioners.”
