Experiencing a place includes exploring its local flavors and distinctive dishes. Courier asked destinations about their specialties. To see more check out “8 dishes worth the trip.”
Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, is known as the home of Longwood Gardens, which is visited by over a million people a year. But a few miles up the road is another gem: Historic Kennett Square, the “Mushroom Capital of the World.” More than 60% of the United States’ mushroom crop comes from this region.
A day in the area can begin with a visit to The Woodlands at Phillips to learn about mushroom cultivation from one of the country’s largest producers. Then travelers can look for unique gifts, regional specialties, and a variety of fresh-picked mushrooms in Kennett’s charming downtown shops.
Fittingly enough, Kennett Square is the home of the annual Mushroom Festival, which has been voted one of the 10 best festivals in Pennsylvania. The event takes place each September on the weekend following Labor Day, and attendees celebrate with music, rides, and entertainment; taste-test mushroom soups; and learn from the pros about cooking and storing mushrooms.
And New Year’s Eve is marked with the dropping of—you guessed it—a mushroom … an 8-foot, 700-hundred-pound, illuminated, stainless steel mushroom!
Where to try it: Portabello’s, where Chef Brett Hulbert prepares an array of delicacies for mushroom lovers (and others).
Who to contact: Courtney Babcock, Brandywine Valley
Top photo by Christa Neu
Support for Courier articles provided by:
Amelia Island Tourism Development Council
Brandywine Valley
Campbell County Convention & Visitors Bureau
City of Gallup
Maryland Office of Tourism Development
Oneida County Convention & Visitors Bureau
Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau
Tourist Office for Flanders-Belgium
