Carnival & State Fair Foods

Have you been to the fair lately? When was the last time you went? What did you eat? What is your favorite? Was it a fried Baby Ruth candy bar, or a bloomin' onion?

The last time I went to a fair was at the Livestock Show and Rodeo here in Austin, Texas about 20 years ago. I remember I ate my all time favorite; A corn dog and a beer with a funnel cake chaser. I tossed dimes and won 6 beer glasses. I still have one. Actually it was pretty good fun.

What about you?

We had one of the big Texas State Fair vendors at the Kennedale Brickworks Festival a few weeks ago. I had the chicken-fried meatloaf and my wife had the fried shrimp boil. Both were good, not great.

I would've been better off with a corn dog and funnel cake. They are classics for a reason.

Navajo taco

chef8489 said:

Navajo taco

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I used to get these from a lady who sold them from the back of a pickup when I lived in Phoenix. She used a slow-cooked goat stew as the filling. They were fantastic.

MM love goat and lamb. Not sure what I will do now that I am back in NC. LOL.

We hit the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo pretty much every year, and we head to Westfest (in West, Texas) every year as well.

At HSLR (at just about any fair), I always get a sausage on a stick. There's no way I'll get out of much any fair without some sausage on a stick. We always wind up with a funnel cake, too, but I could take or leave it. I often get a turkey leg, too, if they look good, but turkey legs are starting to go for a lot of dadgum money!

Westfest is a slightly different animal, being a smaller, Czech-based festival. I have to get kolaches. There's also a great sausage "boat," with sausage, sauerkraut, and potatoes. There's a pirogi booth with some good stuff. A meat market usually is out there, and we'll pick up a summer sausage and crackers to snack on. Fresh fried pork rinds are always an afternoon treat, too. (They also have a mean sausage on a stick and a fabulous ribeye sandwich!)

August West said:

https://www.facebook.com/hotbeefsundaeny

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I hesitated at first....that actually sounds pretty good. Reading the recipe helps.

DoctorShavegood said:

I hesitated at first....that actually sounds pretty good. Reading the recipe helps.

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It is a State Fair staple for my clan.

Corn dog slathered in mustard. Basic candy apple. Cotton candy.

TexLaw said:

and we head to Westfest (in West, Texas) every year as well.


Westfest is a slightly different animal, being a smaller, Czech-based festival. I have to get kolaches. There's also a great sausage "boat," with sausage, sauerkraut, and potatoes. There's a pirogi booth with some good stuff. A meat market usually is out there, and we'll pick up a summer sausage and crackers to snack on. Fresh fried pork rinds are always an afternoon treat, too. (They also have a mean sausage on a stick and a fabulous ribeye sandwich!)

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I've been there. The kolaches are the best. I went to high school in New Braunfels, Texas...all Germans. They had the Wurstfest. It had all kinds of beers but my favorite was the German sausage on a stick and the apple strudel.

Three years ago I enjoyed the deep fried pickles and chocolate covered bacon at the Mid-State fair in Paso Robles, CA but I preferred the fried gator and crawfish etouffee from the Zydeco festival in Fremont from two years ago.

I have never been to WestFest, but I always stop at The Village Bakery on the way back from Austin. Way better than the Czech Stop and without the ridiculous lines. I also get ring bologna at the little Affiliated grocer around the corner.

yakster said:

Three years ago I enjoyed the deep fried pickles and chocolate covered bacon at the Mid-State fair in Paso Robles, CA but I preferred the fried gator and crawfish etouffee from the Zydeco festival in Fremont from two years ago.

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...have mercy!!

I had a fried Reese's Peanutbutter Cup on Sunday. It tasted like a fried Reese's Peanutbutter cup.

I go to the Iowa State Fair at least one day every year....

Pork Chop on a stick (grilled bone-in pork chop)

Peach ice cream from Bauder's

mini chocolate chip cookies

chocolate malt from the old time ice cream parlor (there is a old barber shop two doors down. displays include a cased Fatboy, brushes, barber chair, straights, some Gem razors, barber bottles, etc)

Lemonade shake-ups from Brafford's

Nutty bar (chocolate and peanut covered ice cream bar)

Fried cheese curds

corn dog

Iowa craft beer tent

honey lemonade from the Iowa Honey booth in the Ag Building

hot beef sundae from Cattlemen's

pork chop on a stick (yes, I usually have two)


It is better when I spread that out over two days, but if I am only going once, it is a looong day.

^^^Cheese curds I've never had.

I might get banned from The Mess Hall for saying this, but I don't particularly like carnival/state fair food. Corn dogs are terrible, I don't like cotton candy, and I certainly don't want my Twinkie, Snickers bar, etc. deep fried. If there's a vendor selling Italian Sausage and peppers I'd get that.

I'd prefer to go to a festival celebrating a specific kind of food. There's a shrimp festival every year in Fernandina Beach and that's fun. Shrimp any way you want them.

There are a bunch of town festivals and church carnivals in the summer 'round here. I am always game for a funnel cake. I will occasionally indulge in a bacon brownie.

BSAGuy said:

Corn dog slathered in mustard.

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+1