When you think of the kinds of food served at fairs, you’re probably not summoning up images of salads, vegetables, or other nutritious choices.
But, according to a recent list on the HGTV website, fair food isn’t totally the cholesterol festival it used to be. As the introduction to “The Best Fair Food in All 50 States” says, “Fair food’s deep-fried reputation has gotten a makeover, thanks to culinary creations that highlight pride-of-state agriculture, regional foodways and local vendors.”
That may be true, but the list nevertheless includes fried fare, sweet treats, and other nibbles you probably shouldn’t make a main part of your diet if you’re even a little bit health-conscious.
Naturally, Oregon earns a spot on the list, for a dish featured at the annual Oregon State Fair. So, what’s our state fair culinary star? Curly fries? Strawberry shortcake? Deep-fried ice cream? Elephant Ears?
Some of us (OK, me) are raising our hand to vote for curly fries. But, at least according to the HGTV list, Oregon’s outstanding fair food is … the marionberry sundae.
Here’s what the HGTV site says about this fruity, frosty choice: “The Oregon State Fair welcomes more than 400,000 attendees to Salem yearly, but one fair food yields an equally impressive stat. Every year, the Oregon Dairy Women set up shop in a red barn and dish out over 10,000 marionberry sundaes. The refreshing fair treat features their cold and creamy soft serve with a marionberry topping, a sweet-tart berry that was created in the 1950s in Marion County, the same county the state fair is held. The nonprofit’s fair food sales help provide funding to support programs such as 4-H and their Dairy Princess Ambassador Program.”
Not only is the marionberry sundae tops when it comes to HGTV, Oregon’s state pie — yes, we have one — is marionberry pie, as The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.
We can’t leave the subject of fab fair food without mentioning some of the other selections on the HGTV list. Our neighbor, Washington’s best fair food is scones, which seems a bit basic.
Virginia’s is an inelegantly named concoction called “Butt Fries,” which consists of “hickory-smoked-then-shredded pork … heaped on a pile of French fries, along with sour cream, cheese sauce, barbecue sauce and green onions. Fry toppings go beyond pork, with options that include the brisket-laden Bull Fries.”
Utah gets kudos for something called the “Hot Beef Sundae,” which is “two scoops of creamy mashed potatoes…topped with tender roast beef and rich gravy, then topped with sprinkles of shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream and a cherry tomato on top. Use the accompanying warm bread roll to mop up all that luscious gravy.”
Deep-fried items on HGTV’s list include Rhode Island’s corn fritters; Pennsylvania’s “Dutch Funnel Cake”; North Dakota’s poutine; Colorado’s “Deep-fried Pueblo Chiles”; Arizona’s fry bread; and Illinois’ “Korndogs.”