Our Spicy Chili Chow Down at Mike's Maze

Gorgeous harvest of spicy peppers

by Deb Wojcicki / New England Fall Events

On a warm September afternoon, New England Fall Events had the pleasure of stopping in at Chilifest! at Mike's Maze in Sunderland, Massachusetts.

Mike's Maze's Chilifest this year will be held on Saturday and Sunday, September 16th & 17th, 2016. Click for event details.

Presented by The Kitchen Garden "The Valley's Hottest Vegetable Farm" and Mike's Maze at Warner Farm, this two-day festival is a tribute to the mighty capsicum in all of its fiery glory and a celebration of fall in Western Massachusetts. This family-friendly festival is rife with live music, cooking demonstrations, food, games and a corn maze!

Beautiful giant vat of chili for tasting

We happened to be there on Chili Cookoff Saturday and started our quest at the tasting tent (of course). Eight mighty competitors served up some of their finest home-brewed concoctions, including Chillimatic, Hope & Olive, Mama's Best Vegan Chili, Dylan's Dynamite Chili, Ghost Dad, Magpie Chili, Heru & Eden's Rockin Chili and Chili 2.

Hungry festival goers indulged in a blind taste test and were encouraged to vote for their favorite medley via toothpick ballot. Seeing how we are, we tried each of the impressive offerings which ranged from beef to turkey to veggie and enjoyed them all.  The winner received a cast iron chili pot filled with The Kitchen Garden's home grown Sriracha sauce. Sunday was the Hot Sauce Competition, which we are certain was equally titillating. Competition is open to the public - will you take home the prize in 2016?

Next up was a cooking demonstration by Dan Whalen, author of Stuffed, The Ultimate Comfort Food Cookbook. In the shade of the spacious chili-tasting tent, Dan regaled us with amusing anecdotes and created something that heretofore had not occurred to us - grilled jalapenos stuffed with hot dogs and cheese. Brilliant! 

Samples of chili for tasting and judging

Afterwards, we wandered the festival and tried Chocolate Sriracha Swirl ice cream at Bart's Homemade, which was a surprisingly tasty combination. There were also chili peppers, local beer and spicy foods to enjoy. That said, if you're not into the whole "when in Rome" thing, there were tamer, but no less delicious, food choices available as well.

And in the unlikely event that we weren't inspired by any of the dishes served at the festival, The Kitchen Garden set up a gorgeous farm stand loaded with colorful peppers (hot and sweet), tomatillos, garlic, onions, tomatoes and their own Sriracha sauce. They'd even fire-roast your peppers for you.

Rocketing potatoes is great fall fun!

For the little ones, Chilifest weekend was full of fun, with an oversized chess board, hula hoops, a mini-maze (made out of hay bales - too cute), Dave's Derby - a pedal-powered speedway, a giant sand box with tractor tires to climb through, chili & veggie tattoos and even decorate-your-own Chilifest tee-shirts. For older kids, and for those of us who refuse to grow up, there was also a potato cannon. Yes, because there's nothing that says fun like projectile tubers. We may have loitered at the cannon a bit longer than we originally intended, but no one seemed to mind.

The piece-de-resistance, the jewel in the crown, the masterpiece of the season is of course Mike's Maze. This eight-acre corn maze is legendary in the Pioneer Valley and rightfully so. This year the maze is open weekends and holidays September 12th through November 8th, 2015. 

Alice in Sunderland is the maze theme

The 2015 design was called "Alice in Sunderland," a whimsical maze shaped like a keyhole that depicts Alice, Cheshire Cat, White Rabbit and other characters from the Lewis Carroll adventure story. Team trivia and little surprises await those who are curious enough to take on the maze. You can also visit the maze at night, where you have nothing but a flashlight to guide you. Past maze designs include Mona Lisa, King Tut and Satchmo! Louis Armstrong, among others.  As Halloween is fast approaching, they also have Haunted Maze events and Zombie Night Patrol - a little something for everyone.

Next year, be sure to get your own spice on at Chilifest! 2016. In the meantime, check out Mike's Maze at Warner Farm - you still have a few weekends left to enjoy the fun!

Tips for Your Visit to Chilifest at Mike's Maze

Ample free parking is in a field right next to the festival so expect no more than a leisurely one- to two-minute walk; no shuttles no worries. 

Tickets are available in advance or at the door. Advance tickets are sold at a discount and can be bought online. The ticket line at the door was pretty long when we got to the festival, but it moved quickly.

Wear comfortable shoes - you will be parking in a mowed field and the festival is set up in an adjacent field. The ground is relatively level, but it's still a field.

Comfort stations are provided in the form of porta-potties which were located peripherally to the festival. We didn't see any lines, so there appear to have an adequate number of them.

Cover is provided under the large food tent where the demonstrations and chili tasting are held. There are lots of chairs so you can sit and enjoy your chili and listen to the chefs. There are also picnic tables at the Warner Farm snack shed next to the maze.

Celebrating the "Stinky Rose" at Vermont's Garlic and Herb Festival

by Deb Wojcicki / New England Fall Events


New England Fall Events visited the Annual Southern Vermont Garlic & Herb Festival in Bennington, Vermont in early September.

The 2016 VT Garlic and Herb Festival will be held Saturday and Sunday, September 3rd & 4th, 2016. Click for event details.

True to its name, this award-winning festival is paradise for aficionados of the stinking rose. With just under 200 vendors this year, the two-day festival has a little something for everyone (even non-garlic eaters) and offers hours of entertainment for the entire family. To be clear, this is a "bucket list" festival--one of those events that you must experience at least once in your lifetime.

Held at picturesque Camelot Village, our day was filled with live music, all manner of food to sample or to purchase, and there was even a tented pub to relax and enjoy a garlic margarita. If you're into antiques, the Antique Center at Camelot Village is not to be missed.
Although there were dozens of vendors selling colorful baskets, unique jewelry and stunning artwork, this is largely a food festival where you'll have the opportunity to try pretty much garlic everything; garlic-infused lemonade, fudge, pickles, hot sauce, jelly, sausages, jerky, chocolate chip shortbread cookies... you name it and someone here has likely made it - even garlic soap, guaranteed to keep away "vampires, mosquitoes and in-laws."

But let's talk garlic ice cream for a moment. We stopped at Times Square Catering from Albany, NY for a cool taste of their homemade garlic ice cream and dare we say, life-altering deliciousness ensued. To put this experience in perspective, this was not a little garlic added to some vanilla ice cream for gratuitous effect. Oh no, this was bold, in-your-face, roasted garlic goodness completely departing from the expectations usually associated with frozen dairy products. Truly amazing.

We also munched on chocolate-covered bacon from Bennington's own The Village Chocolate Shop. Okay, maybe there was no actual garlic in these sweet and salty tidbits, but how could we not try it?  An equally fabulous experience - tasted a bit like chocolate-covered caramel, although we're a little fuzzy on the culinary alchemy involved.

Interesting and diverse demonstrations ran both days, including Outdoor Cultivation and Foraging Skills, Growing a Pepper Garden in the North Country, All About Garlic and How to Make Homemade Garlic Powder, to name but a few.

Garlic bulbs were offered for sale throughout the festival - too many varieties to count. These could be purchased for cooking or to plant in your own garden, if you are so inclined.

Throughout the day, kids rode the perimeter of the festival on Thomas the Train, squealed in delight watching jugglers and comedians, and burned off energy as they played in the various themed bounce houses. A colorfully-dressed man on stilts wandered the festival entertaining the crowd.  And if your kids are not fans of garlic, not to worry - there are plenty of non-garlic edibles to be had as well, like BBQ chicken, corn-on-the-cob and wood-fired pizza.

Undoubtedly one of the best run festivals in New England, they've pretty much thought of every convenience. When you arrive, you'll be directed to a parking space in a large field adjacent to the festival by smiling volunteers wielding colorful pool noodles. Tractors towing wagons shuttle people to and from the parking lot, although most people will find the festival within comfortable walking distance.

You'll find Porta-Potties galore, in the parking lot as well as at the festival, each with its own bottle of hand sanitizer. There are also restrooms inside the antique shop, although these are limited.

A first-aid station and an ambulance were also available on-site, just in case. There were really no lines to speak of, except maybe waiting a few minutes to buy your tickets or to get in and out of the parking lot, but traffic control was very efficient and everyone really quite pleasant.

There is nothing about a ride through the beautiful Vermont countryside, the friendly people you will meet or the entertainment you will enjoy to possibly regret making the trip to the Southern Vermont Garlic & Herb Festival. Over the past 20 years, this event has grown into a destination unto itself and we can only imagine that next year will be even better.

Tips for Visiting the Southern Vermont Garlic & Herb Festival

This event is held rain or shine, so bring the appropriate accouterments - hats, shades, sunscreen, umbrellas or raincoats, depending on the forecast. There are some indoor areas as well as vendor tents, but essentially this is an outdoor event.

 

If you or a member of your party need special accommodations for parking, ask one of the parking attendants for assistance; you may be able to park closer to the event or if not, they will be able to facilitate drop off/pick-up. There are also shuttles to and from the parking lot (tractor and wagon), although the wagons are not readily wheelchair accessible.

Wear comfortable shoes - you will be parking in a mowed field and the festival is set up in an adjacent field. The ground is relatively level, but it's still a field.

It's a big festival, so expect to spend at least a couple of hours just to see everything and taste your way through.  If you partake of the educational demonstrations, stop for a nice lunch and maybe take in some of the entertainment, you could spend the entire day here.

All vendors take cash; some also take credit cards.  If you're going with cash, bring small bills to facilitate transactions.

Admission is paid at the door. Admission is $6 for adults and $2 for children 12 and under;  two-day passes are also available at a discount. There was a short line at the gate as people paid to get in, but it moved along quickly.

Numerous picnic tables and benches are available in the food court and near the stage so you can sit and rest or enjoy a meal with a touch of live music. 

Somerville's Fluff Festival is Sticky, Campy Fun for your Bucket List

The What the Fluff? Festival scene

As New Englanders who grew up noshing on beloved fluffernutter sandwiches, we here at New England Fall Events were over the moon with anticipation to attend the annual “What the Fluff?” Festival at long last.

Somerville MA’s What the Fluff? Festival enters its 10^th year of sticky-sweet jubilee on Saturday, September 24^th, 2016 from 3:00pm-7:00pm. (Rain-date is Sunday 9/26). Click for event details.

Unless you are a transplant to New England, you probably share our childhood nostalgia for the squishy, sticky, gooey peanut-butter-and-fluff sandwich for which our region is known. The fact that marshmallow fluff was invented in Somerville, MA almost certainly plays into its popularity and local reverence. For us natives it is the ultimate comfort food (though we'll concede that chicken pot pie is nothing to sniff at).

In the event that you were deprived of a fluffernutter-filled childhood, here's the irresistibly wonderful original Fluff commercial that not only will teach you how to make your own fluffernutter but you'll have the added bonus of the delightfully addictive jingle planting a seed in your brain for the rest of the day.

Revelers at Somerville's Fluff Festival

Somerville, with its fabulously eclectic and creatively driven residents, is ground zero for off-beat, clever, and outside the box gatherings and festivals. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed ourselves at the city’s annual PorchFest in July, their Ignite: Fire and Food Festival in August, and October’s insanely joyous three-day brass band extravaganza Honk! so it we were long overdue to attend September’s zany event which celebrates inventor Archibald Query’s 1917 culinary brainchild—fluff.

The day of the festival arrived feeling more like summer than fall. We snagged street parking on Highland Avenue –an easy ten-minute walk from Union Square where the festivities were set and we headed down the hill. Turning left onto Somerville Avenue, we walked right into the food and craft vendor stretch of the festival. The festival, with a decade under its belt, draws large enough crowds that several streets around Union Square are closed to pedestrian traffic, activities, stages, and games.

Polymer clay marshmallow people

Getting a feel for things, we peeked into the craft vendor tents as we worked our way down the street. Most of the vendors tip their hat to the day’s honored foodstuff (fluff) and the year’s theme (steampunk) by offering marshmallow or steampunk-inspired wares for sale.

The felted S’mores and marshmallow “pops” were fun and everyone was charmed by the polymer clay marshmallow people, but we snagged ourselves a super cool sculpted vertebrae mug by NH artist Megan McLeod Young’s Wicked Raven Studio whose gorgeous ceramic mugs, bowls and spoons drew her own respectable crowds.

The food vendors were populated by Somerville restaurants and a few even went the extra mile to create their own fluff-inspired goodies for our gastronomic pleasure. As with many events where they vend, the length of the queue for Union Square Donuts was as jaw-dropping long as ever. Previously intimidated by their lines that regularly snake down the block, one look at their mammoth Donut of the Day—a fluff-glazed donut with a peanut butter cream interior—and we couldn’t hold out any longer. We turned on our heels and aimed for the back of the line from which we could not even see the donut tent.

Many food vendors like Union Square
Donuts sold fluff-inspired food.

You heard it here—the Union Square Donuts line only looks interminable but in practice it was stunningly efficient and we made it through in 10-minutes flat (we timed it…we just had to know!). We learned what Somerville regulars already knew which is the USD line is never as bad as it looks and one shouldn’t be daunted—just get in there already!

With our colossal fluffernutter pillow of dough in hand, our festival-adventuring came to a grinding halt while we spied a seat from which to strategize how to eat the donut without wearing the donut—no small feat, indeed. Many napkins later and with a sugar rush reaching maximum velocity, we rallied to see what this festival had in store.

Original fun inside the Fluff-a-Tron 3000 

The whimsical and creative activities are what make this festival such riotous fun. The Fluff-a-Tron 3000 machine was a sight to behold and our descriptive will hardly do it justice. Intended for children (but wisely able to fit a parent too), one enters a tall framed box with clear vinyl paneled walls. The “door” closes and the machine operator turns on a giant fan which blows furiously into the clear box tossing countless pieces of “fluff”—Styrofoam popcorn-- swirling up and all around in a manic speed. The guests inside the box become nearly hidden inside the fluff whirling about them like a blizzard while those of us on the outside gleefully watch their reaction through the transparent machine walls.

Dare to eat the fearful fluff combos  

It’s hard to say who has more fun—the folks in the machine or the rest of us watching them! Kudos to the machine builders for making the Fluff-a-Tron large enough to fit an adult and child as we could see how the snowy, noisy experience could be somewhat overwhelming to a child entering the box solo.  

If culinary risk-taking is your thing, you can try your hand at Fluff Fear Factor. Crackers piled with fluff and…hot dogs, pickles, salami, green beans, Tabasco, carrots, tuna, you name it. There were many revolting combinations on display we won’t stand in the way of your double dog dare.

Fluff Baking Contest Trophy

Those seeking fluff recipe innovation more than fearful fluff fodder joined us in ogling the display of fluff cooking contest entries. With trophies for Best Original Recipe, Best Traditional Recipe, Most Creative, Best Youth Entry and the coveted Best Overall, contestants submitted their own fluff-y treats—sweet or savory-- for the judges to taste. After the judge tasting is complete, they’ll sell off any remaining treats in a fluff bake sale to festival-goers.

Contestant Kiersten Dockerney took home the prize for Best Overall winner with her Fluffernutter Pie. Here’s her recipe (you’re welcome).

What the Fluff? Festival Cooking and Caking Contest entries.

You may be wondering if one can actually get a straightforward, honest-to-goodness, old-fashioned fluffernutter on Wonder Bread. Rest assured, teens from the local high school mill around the streets selling them to help fund-raise for their school so you are totally covered on the nostalgia front.

The Flufferettes 

The “Main Stage” was set up on the square itself and featured performances from the burlesque Flufferettes, Federator No. 1, and other familiar local musicians such as our beloved Emperor Norton’s Stationary Band who notably had the steampunk vibe going before What the Fluff? pinned it as this year’s festival theme.

Across Somerville Ave. toward Prospect Street was the “Shenanigans Stage” and the name clearly says it all.  Every 20 minutes or so the crowds are treated to “Blind Man’s Fluff”, “Fluff Jousting” with foam noodles, “Fluff Hair-dos”, a “Fluff Lick-off” and “Fluff Musical Chairs”.

Despite the crowds, the multiple streets cordoned off to accommodate the festival-goers spreads everyone out quite well. It’s not too jammed to bring your kids in tow and they’ll certainly enjoy the day’s quirky fun as much as you. The streets are stroller-friendly and a kiddie train makes the rounds on Somerville Ave. If you don’t want your child to subsist on creamy sugar alone, you might want to pack a snack as some of the food lines were long.

The Kids Midway is filled with free crafts and fluff-themed games in a contained area.

Families will be thrilled with the Kids Midway which is set up down Sanborn Court (look for the street between Bronwyn and The Independent restaurants). The thoughtful festival planners designated a large lot the Kids Midway which is both contained for peace of mind and out of the stream of festival crowds.

A sunny scene at the Fluff Festival

The classic games will have kid-appeal and have, as you would expect, a fluff-themed twist. In the midway, you’ll find Fluff Bowling, Pin the Tail on the Fluff Boy, a Fluff Shoot-out, Fluff Coin Toss, a Fluff Pyramid to knock down and marshmallow crafts. In the event that your fluff-fueled children are going bonkers, they can jump their energy away in the requisite bouncy house which was situation.

The takeaway from our visit is the What the Fluff? Festival is a memorable, free, gleefully off-beat bucket-list event that you won’t want to miss.
 
Save the Date: Somerville’s What the Fluff? Festival is coming up Saturday, September 24^th, 2016 from 3:00pm-7:00pm. with a rain-date set for Sunday the 25^th.

Our Tips for Visiting the Somerville What the Fluff? Festival

Felted marshmallow s'mores and pops.

• Take public transportation if you can because parking is not abundant. If you must drive in, expect to park street-side and walk a bit. Read side street parking signs carefully because most streets adjacent to the festival area are permitted for residents only.
• Though all of the entertainment is free, bring cash for food and craft vendors.
• We spent nearly two hours there and saw just about everything. 
• If you want to try some of the baking contest entries, be sure to hover around the contest tables after the judges have tasted to be there when they sell off the leftovers in a bake sale. 
• The festival sells t-shirts to commemorate each year's event. Stop by their tent early on if you want a selection of sizes.

Family Tips for Visiting the Somerville What the Fluff? Festival with Kids

One of the free fluff games for kids

• Unless you want your kids subsisting solely on sugar, have lunch before coming to the festival. The food lines for kid-friendly food like pizza can be long, and for the fluff-inspired treats like Union Square Donuts even longer. It was easy, however, to snag a classic fluffernutter sandwich from the teens selling them for their fund-raiser. We didn't see any gluten-free options.
• The festival is physically stroller-friendly but could be crowded the closer you get to Union Square itself and the main stage area. The Kids Midway is the place to be--all the games can be enjoyed free of charge.  
• There is a kiddie train ride that snakes up and down Somerville Ave did have a fee. We didn't see exactly where the train was loading/unloading but we think it was near the bouncy house and slide at the Prospect St. and Somerville Ave. intersection.

Red Fire Farm Delivers a Colorful and Tasty Tomato Festival for All

Tomatoes of every stripe and flavor

by Deb Wojcicki / New England Fall Events

We're at the height of tomato season here in New England and in celebration of this succulent gift, New England Fall Events visited the 16th annual Red Fire Farm Tomato Festival last weekend in Granby, Massachusetts.

Visit the 2016 Red Fire Farm Tomato Festival on Saturday, August 27th, 2016. Click for details.

As food-centric as we are, nibbling on dozens of varieties of heirloom tomatoes sounded like an appetizing way to spend a warm summer afternoon - and it was. Not just devoted to all-things tomato, this family-friendly event had an assortment of vendors of everything from clothing and jewelry to cat toys; a play area for the wee ones including a bounce house and face painting; live music; LOTS of food and even a museum of sorts featuring "the vegetable freak show" where misshapen vegetables amuse and amaze.

L to R: Red Fire Farm in Granby, MA, Vegetables for sale at the farm stand, Lines for vendors and food.

The festival ran from noon until 6 p.m. and admission was $5.00 (kids under 10 are free). With your five bucks you are treated to unfettered access to the festival, including the tomato tasting, guest chef tent, workshops, kids games and of course the farm stand. The only things that will cost you extra are things you may wish to purchase, like lunch or something from the farm stand or other vendors.

L to R: The line for the tasting, Sign for the vegetable "freak show", Unusually shaped vegetables on display for amusement

Dozens of tomato varieties to sample

The line for the tomato tasting was long, but moved quickly and hungry visitors were rewarded with table after table of over 100 varieties of tomatoes to sample. A small army of farm staff busily chopped tomatoes to keep the tasting tables well-stocked; favorites could be purchased at the farm stand after the tasting. 

We came home with several varieties, but the green and black zebras ended up being our favorite - super sweet and deliciously juicy. We took photographs of the tomatoes we purchased in front of the signs identifying their variety - this made it easier to remember what we bought after we brought the bounty home.

L to R: Farm fresh vegetables on the grill, Red Fire Farm property, Handmade dresses for sale.

We spent about 90 minutes at the festival, but you can easily spend the entire afternoon if you want to take full advantage of all the free workshops and chef presentations. This year, these included Make Your Own Salsa - For Kids!, How to Cook for Picky Eaters and Medicinal Uses for Culinary Herbs. And of course, you could also spend some quality time just sitting on the lawn, listening to music and having a bite to eat... roasted corn on the cob, grilled sausages topped with peppers and onions, wood-fired pizza, basil pesto pasta, and of course, homemade ice cream.

The event was very well run, the staff and vendors friendly and there was plenty to keep everyone entertained. The farm stand gets a bit crowded as pretty much everyone seemed to want to go home with tomatoes, but otherwise the event is open and stroller- and wheelchair-accessible. 

Tips for Attending Red Fire Farm Tomato Festival

Flower crowns made to order

• This event is held rain or shine, so bring hats, shades, sunscreen, umbrellas or raincoats, depending on the forecast. There are some indoor areas as well as vendor tents, but essentially this is an outdoor event.
• If you or a member of your party is mobility-challenged, ask one of the parking attendants for assistance. There are a limited number of spaces that may be available for you to park closer to the event or if not, they may be able to facilitate drop off/pick-up.
• Parking was free but depending on which lot you find space in you may have a bit of a hike to get to the farm. Fear not though, there was plenty of vehicular turnover so a bit of perseverance should get you into one of the closer parking areas.
• Comfort stations are available in the form of porta-potties. There appeared to be an ample number of them as we didn't see any lines of people waiting to get in. However, as there is no running water, you may wish to bring some pre-packaged moist towelettes for your hands.
• Admission is paid "at the door" (no advance ticket sales). However, if you are a Red Fire Farm CSA or Farmstand Member, you get two free admissions to the festival per share/membership.
• Many vendors take credit cards as well as cash and there is an ATM in the farm stand.