EASTHAM — The 16th annual Eastham Turnip Festival was a groovy one. Crowds enjoyed music, crafts, food, and all things turnip. Twelve restaurants vied for the top turnip recipe as determined by judges state Rep. Sarah Peake, Van Rensselaer’s Restaurant owner Peter Hall, and Cape Cod Times Food Editor Gwenn Friss.
Sam’s Deli won first place with the Brackett Slider; the Jailhouse Tavern won second place with Turnip au Gratin; and the Whalewalk Inn took third place with Eastham Quiche. The People’s Choice award went to CShore Kitchen + Bar’s Turnip and Crab Rangoon. Bob Willis, owner and chef there, said that the rangoons will be on the menu along with several other turnip dishes all winter.
In the turnip shuck-off — which is about who can peel a turnip fastest — Kim Radke won first place with a time of 58 seconds; Kirsten Friedrich took second with a time of 1:02; and Amy Brocker placed third with a time of 1:13.
In the songwriting competition, contestants were challenged to choose a song from 1969 and rewrite the lyrics with turnips in mind. Carol Burton’s “Nip, the Eastham Turnip,” set to the tune of “Puff, the Magic Dragon,” took the top prize.
Joe Durant won the enormous turnip contest, guessing its exact weight of 17 pounds, 3 ounces. —Molly Newman
