PTO Apple Fritters at the Kalona Fall Festival
A Half Century of Sweet Tradition
Can you believe it?! For 50 years, our beloved apple fritters have been a staple at the Kalona Fall Festival – almost from the beginning. Once again this year, our PTO ran their historic apple fritter booth at the Kalona Historical Village Fall Festival which takes place the last weekend of September.
50 years is long time! It’s a milestone we’re incredibly proud of. For 50 years, our community has been delighting in the mouthwatering aroma and taste of our homemade apple fritters. This beloved tradition has been a testament to the enduring love of good food, the generosity of our neighbors, and the power of community.
We couldn’t have reached this milestone without the unwavering support of our community. From the loyal customers who have lined up year after year to the generous individuals who have contributed to our success, we are deeply grateful.
The Paul W. Miller family has generously donated apples from the beginning, ensuring the quality and freshness of our fritters. Their generosity has been a cornerstone of our tradition. Additionally, the Dave Yoder ’77 Family has consistently donated their Pioneer bags, a practical and necessary component of our fritter-making process. Their faithful contributions have made a significant difference in our ability to serve our community.
As we reflect on 50 years of making apple fritters, we are reminded of the power of community and the enduring spirit of generosity. We are honored to have been a part of so many cherished memories and are excited to continue this tradition for many years to come.
Two Electric Skillets and an Idea
written by Carolyn (Kinsinger ‘53) Hochstetler
My story is partly a memory and partly from my diary written in the early 1970’s. The scene unfolded in our front room of the house where I still live. Les and I were hosting an evening Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) committee planning meeting. I can still see Cal Graber, principal of Iowa Mennonite School at the time, sitting on our couch. I remember Wally Fisher, Orval Brenneman, and Les were all part of the PTO.
I wasn’t in on most of the meeting, but at one point I heard Cal ask if the PTO could do something for the Kalona Fall Festival, which would have been a new event two years before. I don’t remember how many other ideas were given or how or why I shared what I did, but I told them about apple fritters being sold at an MCC sale in another state. I asked whether this might be a possibility for us.
Soon Evelyn Fisher (Wally’s wife), Norma Brenneman (Orval’s wife), and I were making apple fritters. The only recipe I was familiar with was from the Mennonite Community Cookbook by Mary Emma Showalter. That’s the one we used.
I remember we cut the sugar in half, but everything else we left the same.
I remember the first time we fried all the fritters in two electric skillets. They were dropped into lard with a soup spoon which created oblong and much flatter fritters than the current ones.
The apples were donated from a local orchard and I bought two 24-pound bags of Gold Medal all-purpose flour. This kept overhead costs to a minimum. We had no step by step directions. We really didn’t know what we were doing.
The first apple fritters were first sold at the 1974 Kalona Fall Festival by the PTO to raise money for a new film strip projector for the school.
I could never have done it alone, but together we tried and looked at what happened! Who would have thought it would become such a big Fall Festival attraction?!