Third-Annual International Biscuit Festival

By: Frank Samperi

The Devour editors are thrilled to be heading to the third-annual International Biscuit Festival in Knoxville, Tenn., next Thursday, May 16, through Saturday, May 18. For three delicious days, we'll indulge in biscuits prepared every which way.

Who doesn’t love biscuits?

The festival kicks off with a Southern Food Writing Conference, celebrating the art and craft of writing about food in the South with esteemed magazine, newspaper, book and blogger panelists. In attendance will be some of the legends of Southern food writing, plus the next generation of the profession. The conference is followed by a very special dinner hosted in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains at the beautiful Blackberry Farm.

On Friday, the conference continues, then ends with a huge Biscuit Bash, featuring a food and drink menu full of Southern innovation. Here are a few of the dishes we're looking forward to: Bourbon Slush, Tomato Lemonade, Bacon-Wrapped Watermelon, Cream-Cheese Biscuits With Benton’s Country Ham, Shrimp and Grits, and Peach Cobbler With Cheddar Biscuits and Blackberry-Buttermilk Sherbet.

Have you tried a “Fat Elvis” Biscuit (with bananas, peanut butter and fried bacon)? We sure would like to.

But we'll have to save some room for the big Biscuit Brunch on Saturday. Blackberry Farm will cater a "foothills cuisine" menu in the park downtown, featuring special foods from the region. Throw in a Biscuit Bake Off and a Miss and Mr. Biscuit Pageant, and we have ourselves a mighty fine festival!

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