Ahhh, that familiar mouth-watering aroma! You know it from childhood; you know it from those special holiday meals. You might even be one of those Southern sages who knows it because you have the wisdom to eat biscuits on a regular basis.
Yep, it's the bready, heady aroma of fresh biscuits. I inhaled it deeply as it wafted through the air all around me at last year's International Biscuit Festival in Knoxville, Tenn. That was just before I put the first of several biscuits of several delicious varieties into my welcoming mouth. Lord 'a mercy!
That aroma will again be permeating the air around downtown Knoxville's Market Square district come Saturday, May 14, when the 2016 International Biscuit Festival heats up.
"This is a great opportunity to come and enjoy a fun and unique festival that features that most perfect of foods, the biscuit," said official Biscuit Boss John Craig. "And it's not a restricted-access event. You can just come to the festival, shop the bazaar, enjoy the music, the biscuit art, go to the baking contest, watch the Miss and Mister Biscuit pageant, and more, for free."
The aforementioned Miss and Mister Biscuit pageant is the festival's wrap-up spectacle involving contestants being judged on biscuit fashion, poise, and talent.
"In a festival that overall has its tongue planted firmly in cheek, this is the silliest of the things we do," Craig said. "Contestants dress up in costumes. For the poise competition, they have to walk across the stage balancing biscuits on their head. We have the talent competition where we've seen biscuit songs, biscuit poetry, biscuit dance, biscuit sculpture, biscuit rap. It's all amazing creativity and lots of fun!"
The festival's other signature events include the Biscuit Songwriting Competition and the ever-popular Biscuit Baking Contest, wherein a dozen people whose biscuit recipes have been selected by biscuit aficionado judges from a slew sent in compete for Grand Champion status. Three competitors are chosen to compete in each of four categories – sweet, savory, special and student. There is no distinction between professionals and amateurs. The Grand Champion is selected from the four category winners.
Is it just me or is this the perfect festival? Particularly for Southerners. And it's a mere three hours by car from Atlanta.
The festival's events actually begin on May 6 when the Biscuit Art Exhibition opens at three downtown Knoxville spaces. All the art is biscuit-themed and the exhibition runs through the rest of the month. On May 12, the two-day Southern Food Writing Conference, which requires advance registration and ticket purchase, proceeds. Several special ticketed celebrations associated with the conference are offered during that time.
The actual festival is situated conveniently on several blocks of Market Street just off Market Square downtown and along side streets. And conveniently, Market Square Farmers Market is going on at the same time. The festival's Biscuit Bazaar of food and art vendors set up along the streets and open at 9 a.m. There will be free music, street performers, art and craft demonstrations and other various festive activities going on all around.
You can wander around and enjoy all this for free but do yourself a favor and buy a very reasonably priced $10 ticket that allows you to not only stroll down Biscuit Boulevard but also sample some of the delectable fresh-flavored biscuits baked up on the premises. Those tickets are not available in advance but can be bought at the festival.
For information, go to www.biscuitfest.com.
