A communal stew in Bushwick's been brewing for 6 weeks and has gone viral. So I tried it.

Welcome to ‘I tried it,’ a new series where our reporters try novel or trendy experiences in New York — so you can decide if you want to.

Since early June, hundreds have been gathering at a Bushwick playground every few weeks to feast on a communal “perpetual stew.”

Anyone can dine for free or contribute an ingredient to the stew. Lucky for me, this was happening right by my apartment.

I first walked past a perpetual stew meetup on my way home from the gym a few weeks ago, when I noticed a large banner announcing “STEWWWWW” had been hung across Fermi Playground.

Later I saw this stew was going viral on TikTok, Twitter, Facebook and seemingly everywhere else.

Annie Rauwerda, the stew’s creator, is no stranger to viral sensations: she’s the creator of ‘Depths of Wikipedia,’ where she posts strange and unique articles she finds on the site. She said she was browsing Wikipedia during quarantine in 2020 and became intrigued by an entry about ‘perpetual stew.’

In June, Rauwerda decided to start a “perpetual stew summer” and host a stew club for her friends.

The stew began cooking in her apartment, and Rauwerda and her friends devised a technique to transfer the ever-cooking crockpot plugged into an outlet at home to a mini-generator battery outside. (That’s right – the stew has never stopped cooking.)

Through word of mouth, which grew exponentially thanks to Rauwerda’s online following, the stew parties morphed into these large meetups in Bushwick.

Rauwerda was at Fermi Playground on Tuesday afternoon, wearing a white toque as she stirred an enormous bubbling cauldron.

“The sorts of people that decide to go out of their way and come to contribute random vegetables to a pot of perpetual stew are a rather adventurous and interesting bunch,” she said.

Rauwerda explained that the continuous stirring and the boiling temperatures kept the stew safe to eat. She also added that she personally vets every contribution. At the end of the night, she leaves a small amount of broth in the crockpot and returns it to her apartment. There, Rauwerda keeps the liquid simmering until the next event.

'Stew-pendous'

To get your portion of stew, you have to RSVP through an email on the club’s website.

There, you can also find a written update of each ingredient added to the stew (and some good laughs). I was curious about trying the stew, but also apprehensive of how it would taste.

I arrived at Fermi Playground a few minutes before the designated arrival time of 7 p.m. About 50 people were already there, waiting in line to either try the stew or contribute to it.

Many came in groups, but I noticed dozens of folks who seemed to be there solo. The FAQ on the stew’s website assures people that it’s OK to show up alone.

Participants brought ingredients like broccoli, carrots, sliced bell peppers, bay leaves, crackers and bread to contribute to the stew.

The way it works is very informal: You show up ready to eat and socialize, and you can contribute an ingredient if you like.

By 7:30 p.m., the line had grown to hundreds of people, traversing the entire playground.

Among those trying the stew was Josefina Hernandez, who had just received her own portion of stew in a shot cup.

Hernandez has lived in Bushwick for almost three decades and owns a nearby cafe.

“This is not just a soup, this is people getting together, sharing whatever they have,” Hernandez said as she sipped her stew from her shot cup.

“It’s everybody bringing a little bit of love and sharing,” she said.

Anthony Grimando, from Ridgewood, had also just grabbed a cup of soup and took a long, deep sip. He told me one thing: “Stew-pendous.”

This was Grimando's fourth time at a stew meetup. As a fan of Rauwerda and her work with Depths of Wikipedia, he’d been curious about the event after seeing her posts about it on social media.

A little stew-story

The technique of continually cooking stew dates back to medieval times and can also be found in more contemporary East Asian culture.

In “Food in History” by Reay Tannahill, which is cited on the now infamous perpetual stew Wikipedia page, medieval European cuisine incorporated a metal cauldron to continue the cooking of stew:

“The cauldron was rarely emptied out except in preparation for the meatless weeks of Lent, so that while a hare, hen or pigeon would give it a fine, meaty flavour, the taste of salted pork or cabbage would linger for days, even weeks.”

In a more modern context, Wattana Panich, a restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand, has allegedly been brewing the same broth for 49 years as of this year.

'The vibe of a family reunion'

I came to the stew party with a contribution of my own: a tupperware of broccoli. After about an hour of speaking to people and listening to so many slurps, I was ready to try it for myself.

By that time, around 8 p.m., there was no line. I walked right up and Yoo ladled a portion for me.

In my little cup were a few bits of carrot, a wedge of potato, and other unidentifiable chopped vegetables, all bathing in a broth that had been cooking for 41 straight days at that point.

As I sipped the stew, flipping the cup back like a shot of tequila, I was relieved and pleasantly surprised: It actually tasted pretty good.

It was warm, peppery and light. I wouldn't have spent money on it, but I enjoyed it.

“It kind of has the vibe of a family reunion that you sort of stumbled into,” said Frankie Fierro, a participant who was sitting next to me on a bench in the playground as I finished up the last bits of my stew. “But everyone seems really happy to be here, maybe unlike most family reunions,” she said.

Tips for trying the stew

If you want to check out the stew yourself, visit the website to see when the next — and potentially last— meetup will be.

Some tips:

You can’t predict exactly what you’ll get, so go with an open mind.

The flavors of the stew change with each event, so expect a different taste every time.

If you’d rather bring your own utensils or bowls, feel free.

But cups, disposable bowls and utensils will already be provided.

Don’t be afraid to go alone; most people do.

Everyone seems eager to get to know each other and converse over a cup of stew. In fact, I’d suggest walking up to a stranger and starting a conversation. The vibe is super friendly, and I saw organizers chatting with several strangers.

If your name is Stu (Stewart, Stuart, etc.) you will be the guest of honor and given some cool swag.

Don’t forget to bring your ID for verification.

If you want to try the stew, plan now!

There may only be one more event before the summer ends, and it's tentatively set for Aug. 6, according to Rauwerda. If you arrive early or on time, expect to wait in line for about five minutes.

Inform the organizers of any food allergies when you RSVP.

You can do that by emailing them perpetualstewclub@gmail.com.

If you’re a Wikipedia editor or fan, you’re in luck.

There will be many like-minded people.

Editor's note: This story was updated to explain how Rauwerda keeps a bit of the stew cooking after one event and until the next to make it "perpetual."