TASTY TRAILS FERMENTED & PICKLED FOODS TRAIL Fermenting and pickling are food preservation methods that have a long-standing history, but because of the health benefits and crave-worthy flavor, these zingy foods have made a resurgence in popularity. The Canning House , a restaurant in the small town of Forty Fort, has local kombucha on tap and even offers a kombucha flight. The refurbished canning factory is also filled with quirky shops—perfect for wandering after your meal. Oley Valley Organics , near Reading, carries locally made fizzy ferments such as beet kvaas, kimchi, and kefir. Jarred foods without the “fizz” are also worth seeking out. Stop at the Venango General Store in Venango, where owners Mark and Tracey Olenick tell their tale of how they went from being pickle fans to full-on experts, selling their pickled items in their gourmet shop and eatery, where you can watch live music on the weekends. Many of our daily foods such as coffee, chocolate, and cheese are fermented, too, and nothing’s better (no, really) than the naturally fermented mozzarella from Caputo Brothers Creamery near York. Rynn and David Caputo have perfected their “mozz,” and visitors can even take frozen curds home to replicate it themselves. BY MARY MILLER Oley Valley Organics Reading ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mary Miller is a Pittsburgh-based culinary historian and registered dietitian who worked with CRAFT (the Center for Regional Agriculture, Food, and Transformation) at Chatham University and the PA Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) to develop the Culinary Trails for Pennsylvania. Mary can be found driving through the state meeting artisan food and beverage makers and finding ways to share their amazing stories and delicious products with others in order to build appreciation for their passion and increase economic opportunity for small business owners. Venango General Store Venango TOP TO BOTTOM: OLEY VALLEY ORGANICS; VENANGO GENERAL STORE 58 visitPA.com
Pennsylvania Happy Traveler Guide 2021: Page 58
