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Event offers a taste of White House Fruit Farm
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Nick Stello, founder of Stello Foods in Punxsutawney, Pa., set up a table for attendees to taste several items during White House Fruit Farm’s annual White House Weekend March 18.
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Alexa Lynn, a seasonal White House Fruit Farm worker, handed out samples of whiskey stix, kettle corn and peaches and pears at the farm’s annual White House Weekend March 18.
By ABBY SLANKER
The weather did its part March 17-18 as White House Fruit Farm hosted its annual White House Weekend to usher in the spring season. According to Debbie Pifer, Whitehouse Fruit Farm owner, 15 vendors offered samples of their products.
“We have 15 vendors set up throughout the market offering tastes of their products. Some are new products and others are products we have carried for a long time. We pick and choose the products according to what we think the consumer would like and would think is interesting,” Pifer said.
Patrons could sample a variety of goodies, including honey oat granola, fruit and nut granola, Haitian rice and black beans, couscous with chives and saffron, whiskey stix, peaches and pears, kettle corn, waffles, barbecue sauce, pasta sauce and several hot sauces.
The event featured local vendors from the Valley and also from around Ohio and Western Pennsylvania.
Mark and Leslie DiRienzo, of Canfield, offered samples of their Drunkin Moose barbecue sauce. “We have participated in White House Weekend for the past three years and we are one of their biggest sellers,” Mark DiRienzo said.
Nick Stello, founder of Stello Foods in Punxsutawney, Pa., set up a table for attendees to taste several items, including Pink’s Hot Peppers, hot sauce and a mild red pepper spread.
White House also takes this opportunity to introduce its own new products, along with highlighting its perennial favorites, such as in the bakery and produce. “We appreciate everyone coming out this weekend. This is a chance for our vendors to get a sense of what people like. It provides contact between the manufacturer and end consumer that they usually don’t get,” said Pifer.