Rolls on the River is a festival of all things pepperoni rolls! More than a dozen pepperoni rolls vendors offer pepperoni roll samples in exchange for a tasting ticket - plus drinks, vendors, music and more.
Rolls on tbe River is a fundraiser for Charleston Montessori School and part of FestivALL.
I was honored once again to serve as a judge for this event. This year, pepperoni rolls were split into two categories: classic and rolls with a twist. I love this because you can compare apples to apples a bit more.
Hagys served theirs with a nice peppery sauce.
Tyler Creek Farm had a tiny, poppable bite.
G&G had thick, bready rolls.
Zul's - from the Buckhannon area - uses ground pepperoni.
Triple B had a unique pepperoni roll sandwich - two smashed pepperoni rolls with a slice of cheese in the middle.
Chef Cheri at Edgewood Country Club won both the classic & rolls with a twist categories. The classic had a slightly sweet bread and tasted fresh. The twist was stuffed with peppers and olives. Both of them had my top votes.
Boat Bites was just a touch dry for me, but I learned they're open for lunch Thursday, Friday & Saturday. I look forward to checking them out.
Dirty Birds had another of my favorites because of the nice parmesan topping.
The Bucket is known for their deep-fried pepperoni roll, and I liked the dipping sauce accompaniment.
Karen Townsend had a solid roll.
Kudos to these talented cooks for putting it all out there in the name of a good cause.
I had such a wonderful time trying all the flavors and variations that make them unique.
They were all special in their own way.
I'm already looking forward to next year.
FINALLY: I tried Charleston Fizz Factory, which serves dirty sodas.
I went for the Neon Splash, which has Mountain Dew, peach, raspberry and sweet cream.
I figured I needed some Mountain Dew in honor of WV Day. I try not to drink a lot of soda, but this was so refreshing on such a hot day. And even balanced out some spiciness from the pepperoni.
Grade: A
