What is National Scrapple Day? Delaware's favorite weird food and where to get it

Andre Lamar, Delaware News Journal

Updated November 9, 2023 at 4:39 AM·4 min read

Delawareans are obsessed with eating a fried piece of pork that rhymes with the word "apple."

Members of this culinary cult know the answer is obviously "scrapple."

This Dr. Seuss-sounding food is so beloved in the First State, and in surrounding states, that many residents will celebrate it with a full belly on National Scrapple Day held Thursday, Nov. 9.

To properly ring in this holiday, here's the lowdown on scrapple's history and where you can find it in Delaware.

What is scrapple?

Scrapple is everywhere at the annual Apple Scrapple Festival in Bridgeville, a staple event that's held in the fall.

Some of you scrapple lovers must understand that not everyone in Delaware knows about this treasured food because some of them didn't grow up here or in the tri-state area.

One of sausage's distant cousins is a rectangle-shaped pork relative named "scrapple." This cherished cuisine in the Mid-Atlantic region (Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey) is popular for breakfast and made from leftover pig parts, cornmeal and flour.

The meat is formed in a loaf, sliced and typically fried in a pan until crispy. While the outside is crunchy, the interior of scrapple is mushy like a romantic comedy.

Delaware produces the most scrapple in the world

Scrapple sandwiches are a Delaware favorite.

The First State didn't invent scrapple. But Delaware owns the global market for it.

In 1926, brothers Ralph and Paul Adams (RAPA) started a scrapple manufacturing plant in Bridgeville that's since become the largest producer of scrapple in the world. Nearly 100 years later, the original recipe the brothers created for RAPA Scrapple's brand recipes is still in use today.

Where did scrapple come from?

This precious jewel of meat dates back to the 1600s in Germany where it originally was called panhas, pawnhos or pan haas, meaning "pan rabbit," according to the Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia.

German immigrants came to Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia and Chester County in the 17th and 18th centuries, and re-created the dish.

In 1863, Isaac S. Habbersett opened Habbersett Pork Products in Middletown Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, the first company to mass-produce scrapple, per Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia.

Where can I buy scrapple in Delaware?

Folks interested in cooking up their own scrapple dishes can buy the local delicacy from several stores and meat plants in the state.

RAPA is the most popular brand and they sell it at various Delaware stores including Walmart, Acme, Shoprite, BJ's, Wegmans and Sams Club. Find specific locations for RAPA products at rapascrapple.com/product-locator.

Haass Family Butcher Shop (3997 Hazlettville Road, Dover) sells fresh scrapple. Visit facebook.com/haassbutchershop or (302) 734-5447.

Kirby & Holloway (966 Jackson Ditch Road, Harrington) sells scrapple that can be ordered online or shipped by visiting kirbyandholloway.com. Kirby & Holloway also sells meat products at Redner's, Food Lion, Walmart, Super G, Williamsville Country Store and T.S. Smith and Sons. Visit their website to locate a store for you or call (302) 398-3705.

Hughes' "Delaware Maid Scrapple" (8873 Burnite Mill Road, Felton) sells scrapple at its meat plant, and it's also sold around the state at various stores like Food Lion, Redner's and Acme. Visit Hughes on Facebook.com or (302) 284-9071.

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What Delaware restaurants make scrapple?

First State Brewing's scrapple cheesesteak sandwich, complete with its five-cheese fondue topping.

Whether you're in the mood for eating scrapple cheesesteak, scrapple on your pizza or just a plain dish of scrapple — we've got a few restaurants that have you covered.

First State Brewing (109 Patriot Drive Levels Business Park, Middletown) makes a scrapple cheesesteak doused in five-cheese fondue, onions and bell peppers.

Opens from 3-10 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays; noon to 11 p.m. Fridays through Saturdays; and from noon to 11 p.m. Sundays. Visit firststatebrewing.com or (302) 285-9535.

Luigi's Pizza (5502 S. Dupont Highway Suite 1, Dover) offers scrapple as a pizza topping.

Opens every day from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., except on Fridays, which is from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Visit luigispizza-woodside.com or (302) 698-1555.

Peach Blossom Eatery (76 E. Main St., Newark) sells scrapple as a side dish.

Opens 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wednesdays through Sundays. Visit peachblossomeatery.com or (302) 715-3392.

Helen's Sausage is a popular restaurant the whips up a mean scrapple sandwich.

The restaurant has locations near Smyrna (4866 N. Dupont Highway) from 4 a.m. to noon, Mondays through Saturday; and in Newark (145 E Main St.) from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., Mondays through Saturday. Visit helenssausage.com.

Doyles Restaurant (38218 Dupont Blvd., Selbyville) serves up scrapple for breakfast and carry-out.

Opens 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays; 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Visit doylesdiner.com or (302) 436-2112

Surf Bagel has four locations in Sussex County and they love to serve scrapple breakfast sandwiches. Their restaurants are in:

Rehoboth (18675 Coastal Highway Rehoboth Beach) at (302) 643-2732

Lewes (17382 Coastal Highway Lewes) at (302) 643-4090

Milford (204 NE Front St., Milford) at (302) 503-5119

Long Neck (36908 Silicato Drive, Millsboro) at (302) 990-3747. For more info, visit surfbagel.com.

News Journal reporter Patricia Talorico contributed to this report.

If you have an interesting story idea, email lifestyle reporter Andre Lamar at [email protected]. Consider signing up for his weekly newsletter, DO Delaware, at delawareonline.com/newsletters.