A Taste of Tulip Time
Imagine 300,000 brightly colored tulips in one place in the middle of Iowa. Tulip time in Pella is held annually at the beginning of May. It’s a special time of the year for this town of 10,000, as well as the festivalgoers, including my family and myself. It’s our family tradition to miss a half day of school to make the one-hour trip from West Des Moines to Pella. My two sons and I love to enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes of Tulip Time each year.
We first visited Pella Tulip Time in 2016 when my sons were young. We were all amazed by the 124-foot Vermeer Windmill, the tallest working windmill in North America, and the abundant beds of colorful tulips. However, my sons’ favorite part of the festival is definitely the food. As we walk around the town square and to and from The Dutch Craft Market, we admire the food stands along the way. Then we make tough choices about which delectable-looking foods to try and which ones to consider for next year.
This year, we arrived around lunch time and I grabbed a pork chop near the Vermeer Windmill. Some may say it rivals the pork chop on a stick at the Iowa State Fair, but personally, I think the one sold at the Pella FFA stand is even better. It’s more meaty and more tender. After I had my fill of pork, my younger son insisted he skip real food and go straight for his favorite treat – a fully loaded funnel cake. My sons and I always remark how much better the funnel cakes are in Pella than any fair or amusement park. These funnel cakes are dusted with powdered sugar, drizzled with an icing glaze, then piled with strawberries and whipped cream. At only $5, this extreme funnel cake is also a steal. My boyfriend, Nick, walked over near the east side of the square to get Dutch bologna on a stick (it can also be dipped in melted Gouda cheese) from In’t Veld’s Meat Market. As we waited for the parade to begin, we shared a plate of poffertjes, traditional Dutch batter cakes that look like miniature pancakes. As the day continued, we tried a few more snacks including Dutch Potatoes, thinly sliced seasoned and fried potatoes, and a big, salted pretzel.
Unfortunately, this was not the year to photograph the tulips as most of them bloomed earlier than usual in late March and early April due to much warmer temperatures. However, we thoroughly enjoyed our time in Pella with picture-perfect weather. We couldn’t have asked for a more enjoyable day.
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This:
"My boyfriend, Nick, walked over near the east side of the square to get Dutch bologna on a stick (it can also be dipped in melted Gouda cheese) from In’t Veld’s Meat Market."
Ummm....that sounds like something better than just about anything at the fair!!!