When Mr. DAPs asked me to attend the Knott’s Berry Farm Boysenberry Festival, I was excited. When he then asked me to provide the culinary review for our day, I was ECSTATIC. I knew I’d be spending the day stuffing my face with as much boysenberry-y goodness as possible, so it was a delight to know that I now had an excuse. After a quick tongue work out to ensure my tastebuds were ready to go, I embarked on a day that would live in berry infamy.
One of the most beautiful opportunities one has during the Knott’s Berry Farm Boysenberry Festival is the Tasting Card. For only $25, a holder of the Tasting Card receives SIX full-size servings of SIX different boysenberry delights. Because I’m a giver, I took one for the team and sampled/devoured each of these items and have ranked them below. Though all six items were berry delicious (#berryhumor), some ranked above others.
In order from “yummy” to “I’ll have 70 more of these,” here is my review of the Knott’s Berry Farm Boysenberry Festival Tasting Card dishes:
- Boysenberry Panna Cotta. Light and sweet, this treat will please any sweet tooth or lover of things creamy and delicious.
- Fried Alligator Bites with Fries & Boysenberry Aioli. We thought it couldn’t be done, but it has. Knott’s has mixed Cajun sass with berry sweet to create a bold mix that only Knott’s could attempt. Oh, and you get to try alligator. ALLIGATOR. A far cry from amusement park food, this one is a unique experience and worth the wait.
- Boysenberry BBQ Short Ribs. Meat covered in sauce and served atop jasmine rice? Yes, please! The boysenberry sauce was surprisingly not too sweet and served as a flavorful compliment to the perfectly sticky rice. Ask for extra sauce – you’ll be glad you did!
- Boysenberry BBQ Meatballs. Yum. Yum. YUM. These well-cooked orbs of meat are served three to a skewer and I scarfed down all three in a matter of seconds. Lady-like eating goes out the window when I’m served meatballs – especially when they’re drenched in boysenberry goodness.
- Spicy Boysenberry BBQ Wings. I am admittedly a chicken wings snob. As I began to take my first bite, Mr. DAPs stared at me and eagerly awaited my thoughts. It was love at first bite, friends. I will admit, I wouldn’t complain if the spicy volume was turned up a bit (a common complaint for me about all food), but these little wings of heaven flew me to a place of culinary perfection. I want some right now…
- Boysenberry Dessert Flautas. I should preface this with sharing that I do not typically have a sweet tooth. I’m the girl who has buffalo wings for dessert when everyone else is eating cookies. These flautas opened my eyes, though. I would eat these for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert or as a midnight snack. Deliciously crispy tortillas filled with real boysenberry compote and dusted in powdered sugar, these flautas are everything right with the world.
Whether you love savory or sweet, I promise you there is more than one something you’ll love at the Knott’s Boysenberry Festival. If you’re a lover of liquids, you’ll be delighted to also partake in the Wine & Craft Brew Tasting (I can neither confirm nor deny that I tasted four wines and two beers), where you can experience boysenberry wine and boysenberry beer. Anyone else as thrilled as I am to live in a world where boysenberry beer exists? What a joy.
Have you been the Knott’s Berry Farm Boysenberry Festival yet? Do you agree with my ranking of food items? Tell us in the comments section below or online using #DAPsMagic and #BoysenberryFestival.
Vogel out.
