Philadelphia area artists traded sculpting clay for pork products at an unusual contest.
Reading Terminal Market hosted its first scrapple sculpting competition Thursday in the food hall's Arch Court. Eight contestants had 90 minutes to create original artwork out of the meat, a Pennsylvania Dutch delicacy. They each received five pounds of scrapple and a set of sculpting tools.
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The results — which include a soft pretzel and Rocky Balboa — will be displayed at the market Saturday. Visitors can vote for their favorite creation via QR code as part of the Scrapple & Apple Festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
While the popular vote is up in the air, the judge has already cast his ballot. Local artist and educator Sherman Fleming selected Philly cheesemonger Jake Heller as the winner of the contest. Heller fashioned a functional jar shaped like a chicken out of his materials. He will receive a trophy and $100 gift card to Reading Terminal Market, as will the people's choice winner.
According to the market, the competitors included professional and amateur artists, plus a few scrapple fans in it for the meat. They hailed from various parts of Philadelphia, South Jersey and Delaware County.
Check out the rest of their sculptures below. Philly residents will recognize the original LOVE Park and the clothespin sculpture across from City Hall in this crop of scrapple creations:
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