Life

9 Crazy State Fair Foods You Can Try This Summer That Just Go To Show Basically Anything Can Be Deep Fried

If you're a huge foodie, you've heard that the Minnesota State Fair will feature 40 new foods this year, and that's pretty exciting. Some of the notable new items include the mac and cheese cupcake, the Snickers bar salad, and cowboy balls (fried balls of bacon, jalapeño, and cream cheese... just like a cowboy). Then again, crazy fair foods are nothing new. State fairs around the country are famous for their ever-inventive (and frequently fried) menu offerings.

Check out this list of the nine craziest state fair snacks, and decide which of these funky food creations you would try.

by Jessica Learish

Iowa (And Everywhere Else) — Deep Fried Ho Ho

Let’s start things off rather tamely with this, the quintessential state fair delicacy: a dessert breaded with pastry dough and deep fried! Deep fried treats like Ho Hos, Oreos, and Snickers bars can be found at state fairs across the country.

Having grown up in North Carolina, I can vouch for the fact that they’re all delicious.

10/10: I would eat the whole thing.

Image: Fotolia

Florida — Chocolate Dipped Bacon

Remember Fun Dip, the sugar sticks dipped in grounded up candy powder? This is kind of like that, except the sticks are bacon, and the dip is melted chocolate. The simplicity is astounding. You could easily make this dish (can we actually call this a dish?) at home if you wanted to. Insert Florida joke here.

5/10: I would try it, but realistically, how much of this can one person consume by herself?

Texas — Deep Fried Frozen Margarita

I had no idea how this could happen, so I did my due diligence and Googled how to do it. Basically, this is a margarita-infused funnel cake, swimming in a frozen margarita, and topped with whipped cream. I’m imagining something akin to a boozy key lime pie, which sounds awesome.

10/10: I would definitely eat/drink this, and now I’ll probably end up making these for the Fourth of July. Thaaaanks. #America

Image: Fotolia

Texas — Deep Fried Guacamole

Going back to Texas for a moment, we find deep fried guacamole bites. Everything about this sounds amazing. Make these yourself if you want to win at your next tailgate or cookout.

10/10: Enthusiastically, yes.

Iowa — Deep Fried Butter

You’ve heard of this. The deep fried butter on a stick of the Iowa State Fair gained notoriety during 2011 when Republican presidential candidates gathered at the fair before the Iowa straw poll. There’s not really that much more to say about a whole stick of impaled and deep fried butter.

Is it made with salted butter? Would it work with margarine? I have so many questions.

0/10: Give me a break, y’all.

North Carolina — The Krispy Kreme Burger

North Carolina is the birth place of the Krispy Kreme doughnut. It is also the birth place of the Krispy Kreme burger, which, the more you think about it, the better it sounds. A person would definitely need like 2,117 napkins to eat this, given the glazed nature of the doughnut-buns.

10/10: Have to rep this one for the home state. Click here for mandatory musical accompaniment.

Colorado And Minnesota — Fried Gator On A Stick

I’ve heard that fried gator is pretty good and “tastes like chicken.” Bayou Bob’s is a cajun-style soul food favorite based in Denver and popular on the state fair circuit. If you’re curious, gator meat traditionally comes from the alligator’s tail. As I’m absolutely never going to attempt to fry gator meat at home, I suppose the state fair is as good a place as any to eat it.

8/10: I would complain, make faces, be totally grossed out, eat it, and almost certainly like it.

Minnesota (Again) — Comet Corn

“What in the world is comet corn,” you might ask. Well, boys and girls, comet corn is a freezing treat of kettle corn, breaded and deep fried, that is then zapped with liquid nitrogen. OK, Minnesota. That’s pretty heavy-duty for popcorn, but what are state fairs for, if not to improve on beloved junk foods?!

10/10: I guess I need to know what these taste like.

Image: Fotolia

Minnesota — Deep Fried Lamb Testicles

Minnesota, we need to talk. We get it, you’re the weirdest and the most imaginative when it comes to breading and frying stuff. Your state fair is the second largest in the country (to Texas, naturally), but your foods are the craziest by a long shot, and that’s really saying something.

Also worth noting is the tub of creamy Holy Land garlic dip that one is evidently supposed to use as a testicle garnish.

0/10: HAHAHA! Nooooo way. Stop it, Minnesota.

19