For years, homeowners everywhere have cursed the dandelion for its pesky work-inducing, lawn-ruining tendencies—well, almost everywhere.
In Vineland, the plant is a source of celebration, when the Cumberland County city, a.k.a. the “Dandelion Capital of the World,” holds its annual Dandelion Dinner, this year on the 1st at Merighi’s Savoy Inn in neighboring Buena Vista.
Since 1973 the dinner has featured a menu incorporating locally grown dandelions and varieties from Texas and Florida. This year the underappreciated green will appear in the soup, salad, wine, ravioli, chicken Florentine, and penne. “We usually get about 250 to 300 people to attend,” says Paige Desiere, executive director of the Greater Vineland Chamber of Commerce, the event’s sponsor.
Although rich in nutrients, dandelions can be a tough sell. “It takes some convincing for some people to try them,” Desiere says. The dinner always introduces at least one surprise dish; last year dandelion Jell-O was served. “It got a lot of mixed reactions,” she says.