We’re heading out to the county fair this afternoon. It is small, the attractions are fun but what I zero in on is all the different food items that are fundraisers: grilled half chickens by the grate-fulls, Navajo tacos, snow cones in all sorts of neon colors, bedspring and spiralized potatoes, funnel cakes with a plethora of toppings. Oh, the odors of fair food cooking!
Do you, have you had a favorite ‘fair food’. I can only ‘look’ this year.
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I’m a cotton candy fan but it has to be pink! 
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Corn dogs. Only purchased at country fairs.
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I am not usually a fan of sweet stuff, but I have humiliated myself over funnel cake more than once.
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Definitely funnel cakes - but it would have to be shared, as they’re too big for me. I’ve had turkey legs at Renaissance fairs, but I can’t think of the last time I was at a fair and had fair food.
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Not big on sweets, but I was surprised how much I Iiked kettle corn and the corn dog I tried a bite of. Most of the stuff here is variations on deep-fried dough, which my dude likes hella more than I do.
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I am in Northern California. Wines are the thing here.
Unfortunately, fried foods are very common in town, everywhere. Surprised to read about corn dogs….even supermarkets sell them.
Maybe I am too now old to eat the things from the fairs. A college roommate’s family owned a concession, in those days, (70’s) only family owned concessions were allowed, with family staff.
When my folks would take me to the fair, they may have not had enough money to buy me things.
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The renfaire circuit is definitely upping their game. Jusr in rhe last year I’ve had grilled portobello sandwiches, creme brulee, fruit smoothies…a lot of choices beyond Scotch eggs and turkey legs (which are greasy and hard to eat)
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I lovingly remember intense orange granita frozen in a real orange shell.
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You beat me to it… Corn Dogs are my favorite!!
About 20 years ago, I won a corn dog eating contest – I got some silly plaque, although I have no idea where it is – stored away somewhere.
Corn dogs = great memories!!
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How many?
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The aroma of caramelized onions (burgers) always draws me in. The scones with strawberry jam always look tempting. In both cases, it’s always a disappointment. And yet… 
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As a kid at the great York Interstate Fair (est 1765), the treats were funnel cake, candy or caramel apples, and very delicious French fries. I also remember freshly made orangeade and lemonade that was frothy and delicious.
A bit later, blooming onions became a thing, and also enormous baked potatoes with a few toppings.
I went to a much smaller local carnival last night and had a crab cake sandwich (we are obsessed with crabs here) and French fries, the latter from the same vendor from my childhood. But the surprise hit of the evening was an unexpected twist of another local obsession: pumpkin roll. This food truck had it in cakelet format, and even though it’s a couple of months from pumpkin roll season, I had to try it. Very good.
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Navajo tacos are amongst my fave for fairs; especially when they’re loaded with crunchy veg. If they have Navajo cheeseburgers, grab one.
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Oh those turkey legs and the herbed boiled artichoke at the Renn fairs. We’d go to the one at Black Point. Eating there was always a treat.
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Seven, the guy next to me only made it to six…
I forget the amount of time allotted for the contest, but I was more than full and would not have been able to get another one down (even with more time).
Somehow I read "“I got some silly plague” 
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Funnel cake/fried dough is my weakness too, especially if they make it light with nice “clean” oil.
I too also revert to my 8 yr old self, if there is fresh spun cotton candy, but I generally am open to most colors. I’ve never particularly found the colors to be true to any flavors.
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While cotton candy and funnel cakes are must-haves at any fair or carnival, the best fair foods I’ve ever had were at the Duchess County Fair in NY State.
First off, the French fries were amazing. My SO picked them up from wherever he got chicken fingers for the littles (this is what we call the youngest niece and nephew) so I don’t know what stand they were from, but they were so light and crisp.
Second to those were the pierogi. There must have been 15 varieties offered. I had mushroom, potato and cheese, and spinach. They were fried in butter and served with a side of sour cream and sauteed onions. Absolutely delicious.
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Blue is also acceptable.
