One can't quite say that Buena Park was built on the juicy foundation of the boysenberry, but few cities have had the tight relationship between history and foodstuff
The boysenberry is synonymous with Knott's Berry Farm, of course, and with good reason: Walter Knott helped saved the knobbily purple wonder in the earlier part of the last century. A road-close farm stand followed, and following that? Preserves, jams, and jellies made by Cordelia Knott, and then, the world-famous theme park, where the spirit of the succulent treat can be seen throughout, and definitely in the shops.
True, Smuckers is now behind the Knott's jams, and the park has out sized the original stand many times over, but the boysenberry remains king. You can pay homage to its royal sweetness during the theme park's Boysenberry Festival, which happens in the famous Ghost Town area from Saturday, April 12 through Sunday, April 27.
This is a fun factoid, jam enthusiasts: It is the inaugural outing for the Knott's boysenberry-themed celebration. Definitely time, we thinks, to preserve the past.
Yep, we said "preserve." Jelly humor.
"Boysenberry-inspired food" will fill the Ghost Town dance hall during the two-week sticky scene, and "(l)ocal artisans will sell unique boysenberry-inspired wares." And shall there be daily pie eating contests? There shall be.
Oh, and savory food for sale, including ribs and chicken charbroiled with boysenberry glaze. Sorry, but we must pause here, because we've never, ever considered boysenberry glaze before, for meat.
Wow.
Admission to Knott's Berry Farm gets you over to the Ghost Town goodness. Every big enterprise starts on something small, and it feels right to honor one of the smallest starters for one of the largest enterprises.
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Perhaps if you do stick a boysenberry in the ground a theme park'll grow in that spot after a few decades. Right?
