Yo Pawp(aw)s!

Time to mark your calendars ladies and gentleman, the dates for the 2010 Ohio Pawpaw Festival have been announced.

The festival is scheduled for the 18th and 19th of September and will be located at Lake Snowden in Albany, Ohio. This annual fest is the largest pawpaw celebration in the entire world.

Now I know that you're probably thinking to yourself "Wow, Pat, this festival sounds amazing and I'm really excited, but...what in the hell is a pawpaw?" well loyal readers, I'm glad you asked.

A pawpaw is an exquisite fruit that is very prominent here in Southeastern Ohio. I never really experienced a fruit quite like this. It offers the consistency of a banana but the taste resembles that of a pear, a bit. Basically, it's delicious. According to the Ohio Pawpaw festival's website, chilled pawpaw was the preferred dessert of George Washington. So, first President of the United States and also a pawpaw lover, just some coincidence? Hm, well, that's for you to decide.

The reason my blog and I are so excited for this news is mainly because pawpaw's can be used to make a long list of delicious beverages. Beer seems to be the most common drinkable pawpaw creation. Jackie O's, local pub and brewery, is known for producing a highly appetizing pawpaw wheat ale. Unfortunately, this particular beer is only offered seasonally so I won't be able to get my hands on any of it until late summer. I've tasted pawpaws before, but never in the form of any sort of beverage so I'm very much looking forward to attending the 2010 Ohio Pawpaw Festival. And don't worry readers, I will be sure to be attending the annual festival with a very thirsty pallet.

Image courtesy of Wikipedia.

"Chai it out for yourself," she said.

Today I had my first experience of some of the anomalous beverages that exist here in Athens Ohio.

Now, I've driven by the Village Bakery and Cafe, located at 268 E. State Street [(740) 594-7311], many times having been a student here in Athens for the last 3 years, however, until today, I had yet to ever venture inside.

Upon arriving, i walked up to the counter and asked the barista what she thought the most unique drink on the menu was. After giving me a "that's an interesting question, weirdo" kind of look, she concluded that the "Village Chai" was the way to go. I was a little hesitant at first with the $3.25 price tag for chai tea, but, at least the drink could warm me up I thought. Wrong. As I received my drink it was served on ice (the only way that it's served at this particular establishment), and I may or may not have mumbled something unpleasant in my head due to the snow outside that had recently formed no more than 24 hours prior.

Regardless, I took my deceivingly-titled, cold beverage and sat down to consume it. My barista turned out to be very helpful aiding me with my strange question and proceeded to tell me that the reason that this particular drink is so special is because it consists of 3 ingredients: local, organic green tea from Herbal Sage Tea Company, soy milk, and local, organic honey.

Despite the 24 degree temperature outside and also not being much of a tea drinker myself, I thoroughly enjoyed this beverage. The green tea flavor was dominant but the honey added a nice, delicious new dimension. The green tea also worked as a great energizer for me for the rest of the day. Winter winds or summer shine, the "Village Chai" is definitely worth checking out, especially for all you tea fanatics out there.

A Delicious Beginning

Hello world,

With all the spectacular drinks that Athens' has to offer, it's mind-boggling that there isn't a blog out there giving exposure to, and also commenting on, these delicacies. Thankfully, Patrick Doyle has vowed to create just that. Over the next few weeks this blog will become a haven for all the interesting varieties of drinks that Athens has to offer. From seaweed smoothies to micro-brews, if Athens offers it, it will appear on this blog. Each post will feature my personal experience with the drink and other miscellaneous factors (setting, service, price, etc.) and I will post of a picture of every beverage to provide some visual support. Until next time all you fans of beverages out there.