A tattoo artist from Norristown, Patrick Moser, has won the annual Scrapple Sculpting Contest in Philadelphia with a piece inspired by the Philadelphia Eagles. His creation, titled “Mush Push,” is a tribute to the football team’s famous “tush push” play and secured the top prize at the event held at Reading Terminal Market.
The competition, which marks the beginning of the Scrapple & Apple Festival, challenges participants to create art from the traditional Pennsylvania Dutch pork product. The event highlights a unique intersection of local cuisine, art, and sports culture.
Key Takeaways
- Patrick Moser won the Philadelphia Scrapple Sculpting Contest with his sculpture “Mush Push.”
- The artwork was inspired by the Philadelphia Eagles' “tush push” football play.
- The contest featured 12 artists, each given 5 pounds of scrapple and 90 minutes.
- Sasha Suda, CEO of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, served as the event's judge.
- The contest is part of the Scrapple & Apple Festival at Reading Terminal Market.
A Unique Artistic Challenge in Philadelphia
On Friday, October 10, 2025, Philadelphia's Reading Terminal Market hosted a distinctive art competition where the medium was not clay or stone, but scrapple. Twelve contestants gathered to transform a five-pound block of the regional breakfast meat into a work of art.
The artists were provided with basic sculpting tools and given a 90-minute time limit to complete their creations. The event drew a crowd of onlookers, curious to see how the dense, pork-based food would be molded into recognizable forms.
The competition serves as the official kickoff for the market's Scrapple & Apple Festival, an annual celebration of the local delicacy.
The Winning Sculpture: A Nod to Local Sports
Patrick Moser, a tattoo artist from Norristown, emerged as the winner. His entry, “Mush Push,” depicted a group of football players executing the Philadelphia Eagles’ well-known short-yardage play, often called the “tush push” or “brotherly shove.”
Moser described his artistic approach as a fusion of classical art and modern sports, humorously stating his work was “Caravaggio meets Siriani.” This references the Italian Baroque painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio and the Eagles' head coach, Nick Sirianni.
“I wanted to combine a classic art influence with something that is so uniquely Philadelphia right now, and that’s the Eagles,” Moser explained after his win.
For his efforts, Moser received a trophy and a $100 gift card to the market. His sculpture, along with the other entries, was scheduled to be displayed for a public vote on Saturday.
Judging by an Art World Leader
The role of “expert judge” was filled by Sasha Suda, the chief executive of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Her participation lent a serious artistic credential to the lighthearted and unconventional competition, bridging the gap between fine art and folk tradition.
Understanding Scrapple: A Pennsylvania Dutch Staple
For those unfamiliar with the artistic medium, scrapple is a food deeply rooted in the history of eastern Pennsylvania. It was created by German immigrants, known as the Pennsylvania Dutch, as a way to use every part of the pig after butchering, minimizing waste.
The traditional process involves boiling pork scraps and trimmings, which are then finely minced and combined with cornmeal, buckwheat flour, and spices. This mixture, or “mush,” is formed into a loaf, cooled, and then sliced and pan-fried until crispy.
How Scrapple is Made
Marlin Dietrich, owner of Dietrich’s Meats & Country Store in Krumsville, Pennsylvania, explained the labor-intensive process. According to Dietrich, his store sells approximately 300 pounds (135 kilograms) of scrapple each week.
His recipe involves boiling beef and pork bones and seasoning the broth with salt, pepper, and coriander. The mixture is then thickened with buckwheat flour and roasted cornmeal. Dietrich prefers his scrapple fried crispy and served with apple butter, another Pennsylvania Dutch favorite.
While a beloved local food, its use as a sculpting material is not universally embraced. When told of the contest, Dietrich expressed his traditionalist view.
“I like it once or twice a week for breakfast. Making a sculpture? That’s a shame,” he commented.
More Than Just a Contest: The Scrapple & Apple Festival
The sculpting event is just one part of a larger celebration at Reading Terminal Market. The Scrapple & Apple Festival showcases the versatility of the pork product through a variety of creative culinary offerings.
Visitors to the festival can sample a wide array of scrapple-infused dishes, demonstrating how the traditional breakfast food can be incorporated into modern cuisine. The menu highlights the unique flavor profile of scrapple, which is savory and richly spiced.
Festival Food Highlights
The festival's food vendors offer a chance to experience scrapple in new and unexpected ways. Some of the featured items include:
- Scrapple fries
- An andouille scrapple breakfast sandwich
- Scrapple apple cookies
- Scrapple quiche
- A scrapple cheesesteak
These dishes illustrate the ongoing cultural relevance of scrapple in Philadelphia's food scene, moving it beyond the breakfast table.
A Celebration of Local Culture
The Scrapple Sculpting Contest and the accompanying festival represent a unique celebration of Philadelphia's local identity. The event successfully combines regional culinary history, a passion for sports, and a playful appreciation for the arts.
Last year's competition winner was a sculpture of a cookie jar decorated with a rooster, with a small egg placed inside. The continued popularity of the contest shows a community interest in these quirky traditions.
By turning a humble food into a medium for artistic expression, the event creates a memorable experience that is distinctly Philadelphian, engaging both locals and visitors in a shared cultural moment.
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