Eagles-Inspired Scrapple Sculpture Wins Philadelphia Art Contest

A sculpture depicting the Philadelphia Eagles’ “tush push” play, crafted entirely from scrapple, won first place in a unique art competition held today at Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia.

Norristown tattoo artist Patrick Moser took the top honor with his creation, beating out 11 other contestants who were given 90 minutes and five pounds of the Pennsylvania Dutch breakfast meat to sculpt their best work. The contest kicked off the annual Scrapple & Apple Festival. Moser described his work as “Caravaggio meets Siriani,” referencing both the Baroque painter and Eagles head coach Nick Siriani.

The “expert judge” for the event was Sasha Suda, chief executive of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Scrapple, a mixture of pork scraps and trimmings, cornmeal and flour, is a regional delicacy with roots in Pennsylvania’s colonial German heritage – though it often receives a playful amount of skepticism. Marlin Dietrich, owner of Dietrich’s Meats & Country Store in Krumsville, Pennsylvania, sells approximately 300 pounds of scrapple each week and explained his process involves boiling down beef and pork bones seasoned with salt, pepper, and coriander, then thickening it with buckwheat flour and roasted cornmeal. You can learn more about Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine here.

Moser’s winning sculpture earned him a trophy and a $100 gift card, and all the scrapple artworks will be on display at the market through Saturday. The festival also features a variety of scrapple-infused culinary creations, including scrapple fries and a scrapple cheesesteak. The popularity of the festival highlights the enduring cultural significance of scrapple in the region, and its continued appeal to both locals and tourists. For more information on the festival, visit the Reading Terminal Market website.

Officials said the public is encouraged to view the sculptures and enjoy the festival’s offerings throughout the weekend.