Allentown Fairground Farmers Market

17th & Chew Streets, Allentown, PA - (610) 432-8425

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Posted By Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle on 9/9/2007 10:02:00 PM

We tend to think of farmers markets as a source for locally grown tomatoes and corn, sweet and pristine berries picked that morning, and root vegetables still caked with moist soil. So a farmers market in Pennsylvania steel and coal country, in December, would turn up little of interest, right? Not so!

The Allentown Fairground Farmers Market is a meat-eater's mecca, a carnival for carnivores, a festival of... well, you get the idea, there's some good meat to be found here. Particularly interesting is the selection of various locally processed and smoked meats. We picked up some of the meatiest slab bacon we've ever seen (cooked, it was heaven), along with an assortment of the local ring bologna. There are regional specialties like souse and scrapple, all homemade. Even for area residents familiar with the blocks of Habbersett scrapple sold in supermarkets, it is fascinating to see all the different varieties of scrapple available here, along with arcana like liver pudding and sliced tripe and homemade headcheese.

There's plenty to eat on the spot, too. We had some warm, homemade pierogis with sauteed onions from a stand that also sold some of the most tempting chicken pies imaginable. Savory pies, not just chicken but corn and cheese also, are to be found all over the market, as is that sweet local specialty, shoofly pie. We saw some incredible-looking giant stuffed pork chops, two bones thick and softball-shaped, cooked and ready for devouring then and there, or ready to cook at home. Generous samples of the butchers' wares are available too, and it's fun tasting and learning about the differences between the various smoked sausages and ring bolognas.

There's much, much more available: homemade jams and jellies (we picked up some locally prepared horseradish), bakeries, produce stands, doughnuts, a fish market, a poultry market, Italian food, flea-market-type stands, and the list just goes on and on. There's even a full supermarket at one end of the large brick exhibition building which houses the market. The merchants are country-store helpful, and prices are amazingly low.

The market is open from Thursday through Saturday. We wouldn't dream of passing through when the market's open without stopping at this Pennsylvania treasure.

Scorecard

Overall: One of the Best - Worth a Trip

Chicken Pie	Roast Chicken
Filling	Hungarian Roll
Pierogis

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"Can't say we've seen a more irresistable-looking dish than these homemade chicken pies."
Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle

"The pierogis were as good as they look."
Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle

"These doughnuts are twisted into the classic Pennsylvania folding-arms pretzel shape."
Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle

"We sliced this bacon thick and cooked it slow. It was almost all meat, smoky and sweet."
Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle

"These two ring bolognas came from different stands. The one on top is a garlic ring. Excellent warmed with cheese and mustard and bread."
Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle

"There's a mind-boggling assortment of various loaves made from various pork parts."
Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle

"Stands that sell their own smoked meat are found throughout the market. The fetching aromas are a constant companion to those strolling the aisles."
Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle

"We purchased a poppy seed Hungarian roll from The Kiffle Kitchen. Hungarian rolls are a type of strudel made with pastry dough. It was fantastic! Kiffles are little bowties of crust wrapped around fruit or nut fillings."
Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle

"The market is worth a good two hour visit if you love good local food."
Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle

"Allentown Fairgrounds Farmers Market is located in an early 20th century fairgrounds building."
Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle

"Filling covered in gravy from Dan's. Whatever you decide to eat from Dan's, be sure to get some of this weighty stuff."
Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle

"Dan's offers a number of ways to carbo-load. Pierogis (potatoes in dough) are one good way."
Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle

"Across from Dan's is one of the most garishly lit dining areas imaginable. We tried every which way to make this photo look appealing but it was beyond our talents with the photo editor. Trust us, it was all good."
Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle

"Here's a food item we can't imagine craving: jars of pickled hot bologna chunks (although "with variety meats" almost gets us). We figure you need a few beers before the desire kicks in."
Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle

"If there's any kind of pickle, horseradish, or mustard that you must have, you'll probably find it somewhere in the market."
Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle