Top 10 craziest state fair foods available this summer: Part 2
There are plenty of activities that are unique to summer – watching fireworks, going to the beach, chasing the neighborhood ice cream truck – but perhaps none is as uniquely American as the state fair. Every summer, states across the country host weeks-long celebrations of their cultures and bring music, contests and exhibitions to visitors from all over. But when you get down to it, there’s really only one reason to visit a state fair: To try the outrageous food.
Because we love food – especially if it comes on a stick – we’ve curated a list of the top 10 craziest foods available at state fairs across the country this summer that are good enough to have come from a culinary academy. This second part of this list highlights some of America’s finest foods…with a bit of a twist. Happy snacking!
6) Apple Pie On-A-Stick
Available at the Iowa State Fair, this twist on the traditional American dessert is sure to be a favorite for kids and adults alike. Apple slices are put on a stick, dipped in funnel cake batter and sprinkled with apple pie spices, then deep fried to golden brown perfection. The delicious treat is then topped with cinnamon sugar and served with caramel sauce and apple wedges.
7) Bacon Bottom Porker Pizza
Pigs have come to serve as a symbol of the state fair, and Wisconsin is giving the humble animal a deserving tribute with this pork-tastic pizza. Instead of crust, this treat uses a weave of crispy bacon which is then covered in barbecue pork shoulder, mozzarella and Gouda cheese, cilantro and red onion, and then sprinkled with crispy pork rinds for extra crunch.
8) Deep-Fried Starbucks Coffee
While this one isn’t actually from a state fair, it was so unique it had to be included. This year’s San Diego Fair served visitors a winning combination with a snack that was fried, on a stick and loaded with caffeine. The Starbucks treat was made by filling balls of dough with ground coffee, placing them on a stick and frying them. The strange dessert is served in a Starbucks cup and has made appearances at a variety of local fairs all across California, so it’s likely to pop up at the official California State Fair later this summer as well.
9) Wine-Fried Kalettes
It was only a matter of time before kale made its way onto the state fair food circuit, but not even this health food staple was able to escape the tradition of deep-frying. Available at the Minnesota State Fair, this snack takes battered kale, fries it to a crisp in boiling wine and serves it with a sweet Thai chili sauce.
10) Spaghetti Ice Cream
While this may sound like one of the most outrageous foods available on the state fair circuit, at second glance this Indiana State Fair treat is more tame than it sounds. Made to look like spaghetti and tomato sauce, this dessert uses noodles made from gelato, strawberry sauce in place of marinara, white chocolate shavings instead of parmesan and chocolate truffles in lieu of meatballs. Buy one for a friend and catch the look of surprise when their savory meal turns into a sweet treat.
Make sure to check out part two of this list to find out what kind of bug they’re serving in Arizona and what dessert they’ve added to a burger in Florida.
