Favorite or Odd Fair Food
What's your favorite fair food? Or, if you can't pick, what's the oddest thing you've ever seen?
I ask because this weekend is Spring Fair here at Hopkins, and a friend and I got to talking about what we had eaten so far and what was left. (Spring Fair is like any bazaar or fair you've ever been to, except magnified to fit on a college campus =]). As she ate her Indian combo plate, she said she couldn't understand what all the fuss was over chicken-on-a-stick, a Spring Fair institution. As I chewed on mine, I realized I couldn't really answer. After four years of making absolutely sure that I've gotten it every April, I have no idea why it's so important, haha.
So what's your staple? What's your tradition? And can you explain why?
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29 Comments:
CORNDOGS!!!
hammondcheese at 9:24PM on 04/25/09
I will seriously eat anything on a stick at the fair. And usually that means everything! Eggrolls, meatballs, shrimp, and twinkies.
I think my favorite though has been a chile relleno corn dog: a seeded Anaheim pepper, stuffed with a strip of jack or cojita and a hotdog with the ubiquitous stick, then dipped and fried! Heartburn heaven!
It's either a night of rides OR deep fried heaven and beer. Doing both is no good.
thegirliscrafty at 9:38PM on 04/25/09
Turkey Leg!!!! Funnel cake and zeppoles.
eastcoastvb at 10:41PM on 04/25/09
I'm hoping to find a new fair staple. Unfortunately, the only fairs I've been to weren't clean enough to be selling anything edible.
beth1 at 12:22AM on 04/26/09
Corndogs for sure and elephant ears.
radley24 at 12:35AM on 04/26/09
cotton candy!
cybercita at 12:59AM on 04/26/09
Grilled corn on a stick. The Berringer Farms strawberry short cake.
pjracz10 at 1:53AM on 04/26/09
What a timely post! We went to the Spring Arts Festival here tonight and I had (shared, of course) an Indian Taco, Strawberries Newport, and a funnel cake. I saw people eating the chicken-on-a-stick you mentioned!
gourmetgal at 3:42AM on 04/26/09
Scotch eggs - typically sold at Renaissance Festivals - then come the Turkey Legs and empanadas. I
Ribster at 6:01AM on 04/26/09
cotton candy !
goodcooker at 7:10AM on 04/26/09
I will show my southern roots. Fried Pies, peach or blackberry.
supersu75 at 9:34AM on 04/26/09
del's, doughboys, corn dogs, french fries, del's, blade meat, del's, in that order.
dearrie at 9:51AM on 04/26/09
the german kettle popcorn at all the Texas festivals: we call it popped crack cause you buy it by the huge bag and you cannot stop eating it. Popped in a kettle and finished with salt and a sprinkling of sugar, it is worth waiting in line for 45 minutes, which we did last weekend at the Fort Worth Main Street Art Festival.
ocarol at 10:08AM on 04/26/09
funnel cakes
joyyy at 11:48AM on 04/26/09
Grilled Italian sausage with onions and peppers.
Funnel cakes or elephant ears.
Corn dogs.
I haven't been to a fair in a long time and all of the above would probably give me heartburn for sure. I'd eat them anyway if given the opportunity!
Pinotnana at 4:52PM on 04/26/09
I love that I can find almost everything mentioned here on the freshman quad. I'm going to miss Spring Fair so much.
One thing I haven't seen anyone mention yet (and can't believe I forgot) is fried oreos. They're basically zeppoli with an oreo inside, but they're seeerrriouslyyyy delicious. Does no one eat these outside Baltimore?
kfarrel3 at 5:02PM on 04/26/09
I second the deep fried oreos! They're a Memphis fair staple along with anything else you could possibly put on a stick and deep fry...
mag13 at 10:41PM on 04/26/09
I'm a huge fan of funnel cakes. The best ones are crunchy around the edges and soft inside, and of course drenched in powdered sugar.
I did go to a Scottish fair once in Greenville, SC where the food carts served traditional fare like haggis...that's the strangest food I'm ever seen at a fair.
hayleythecaker at 11:54PM on 04/26/09
Roasted nuts, in a little paper cone, with a sticky-sweet sugar coating
Italian sausage and peppers
Grilled corn on the cob
I used to love corn dogs, fried dough, hush puppies, and potato pancakes, but find them a little greasy now
cycorider at 12:25AM on 04/27/09
Dearrie - you must be a Rhode Islander from your mention of Del's, I second that!
Also blooming onions with ranch dressing, which sounds like a good idea for awhile but I don't suggest eating one by yourself.
swampyankee at 9:59AM on 04/27/09
Deep fried Moon Pies in Tennessee!! yummmm
ilovepancakes at 10:43AM on 04/27/09
Chocolate Zucchini Cake at the Alaska State Fair.
(The fair's in late August, so at that point it always seems like squash is everywhere and in everything that's homemade.)
They also have an over-stuffed potato stand that we always went to. So good.
And the weirdest thing I ever ate there was fried giant frog legs... on a stick, if I do recall correctly.
semarr at 11:07AM on 04/27/09
Many faves already mentioned, including the fresh corn dogs, fried pies (especially apricot!), roasted corn, italian sausage with peppers and onions, and the ubiquitous chicken on a stick. I don't know what the big deal is either, but I sure do love them!
Gotta add fried cheese curds, fresh lemonade, taco salad or "walking taco," tater twirls (this is one potato cut in one continuous strip then fried), and frozen chocolate covered cheesecake on a stick. This is like the best Eskimo Pie EVAR! I'm drooling just thinking about it and August is A LONG WAY AWAY :-(
Guess it's a good thing I go with 3-5 people and we all share bites of each different thing or I'd weigh approximately 7,000 lbs!
coffeefrappe at 11:08AM on 04/27/09
* Tom Thumb Doughnuts
* Walking tacos
* Corn Dogs
* Lemon Shakeups
* French Fries
lakeloverhh at 11:53AM on 04/27/09
@coffeefrappe -- Butterfly potatoes! (or ribbon potatoes, as some vendors called them this year) So bad for you and yet SO DELICIOUS. Especially good covered in that horrible yet fantastic processed "cheese" ...
kfarrel3 at 12:00PM on 04/27/09
Wow, I really miss fresh malasadas, andagi, and souki soba at fairs/carnivals. When I move back, I'll appreciate them more.
I'll probably miss the awesome gigantic turkey legs the size of my head, when I move back.
Cassaendra at 12:15PM on 04/27/09
Fried Cheese Curds!
Embackus at 1:18PM on 04/27/09
I go to two festivals around here, The Italian Festival (which is held in June) and Oktoberfest (held in September).
Mmmmm. Have to get funnel cakes and Pepperoni Bread from the Italian Festival-as well as some sort of pastry-not a cannoli though. I have been spoiled and know what they SHOULD taste like and what is supplied doesn't match up. Can a Philly Bakery please come to DE????
From Oktoberfest: Warm Potato Salad, Brats or Sausage, sauerkraut....mmm
Butrflygirly at 1:43PM on 04/27/09
There's a stand at the MN State Fair near the all-you-can-drink-milk-for-25-cents booth that sells either a turkey (I think) or chicken (maybe) sandwich that is seriously the greatest food in the history of EVER. I also like the grinder sandwiches on Machine Hill with cheese and marinara. And to top it off? A deep fried Milky Way on a stick for dessert. Perfect.
TheCheapChick at 3:16PM on 04/27/09