OT: Artery Clogging Fair Food

Submitted by Blazefire on

So this is extremely OT, but one of my favorite preludes to football season in the midwest is fair season. I always hit the Monroe County Fair for two reasons. The tractor pull and the Hot Wisconsin Cheese. They may be way overpriced, but I'll gladly pay it.

An evening of full pulls, dollar root beers from Bayou Billy and cheddar nuggets always leaves me with an expectant feeling for fall. I know many of us here have midwestern roots, whether we still live in the area or not. What fair food or activity will get you primed for the fall?

McGreenB

July 5th, 2012 at 11:07 PM ^

In Franklin Park! Rescue dogs, art show, live acts. And the opening of the Franklin Cider Mill and it's delicious golden crispy warm donuts. Mmm

markinmsp

July 5th, 2012 at 11:08 PM ^

 Mine is from Iowa state fair when I was in grad school there. Riblet sandwiches smothered in "Cookies BBQ sauce" and local brews to wash it down.  (Like a McRib. Worst corn I ever had in my life though. I never got a good sweet ear the entire time in Iowa. Had to wait to my return to MI or farm stands in Southern Ontario.) Then got to see UofM at Kinnick Stadium twice.

markinmsp

July 6th, 2012 at 3:45 PM ^

 You really should. It’s a bit of a throwback and very wholesome than the MI state fair I had to base it on. The Iowans really get into the agricultural events/exhibits and draws people from everywhere in the state. Lots of the usual fair-type food and very good. (as I said the corn may disappoint, too much like field corn to me.)

 One other thing I suggest. If you like baseball, make it a point to head out to some of the Single-A baseball games in the Iowa towns, Clinton, Waterloo, etc. It may have changed since I was there 15+ years ago, as Single-A has become business, but it was like a community event. We’d go on Sunday (or Saturday and stay the night) and usually after the game they’d have a BBQ for everyone. Sometimes they’d just open the fence in the outfield to a row of BBQ pits. About $8-10/plate and even the ball players from both teams would be there for their evening meal. I remember meeting Placido Polanco as one of the visiting players.

Roachgoblue

July 6th, 2012 at 8:33 AM ^

Nebraska (the corn capitol of the world) has terrible corn too. I tried side stands, Walmart, local groceries and it all has a chemical taste. I washed it with the vegetable stay extra well and no help. Strange that Iowa is the same, and my neighbor said it is because of the chemicals they use. The soil in Nebraska isn't good for growing. They are the corn huskers from what I hear too. They may want to change their name, since the product sucks.

LSAClassOf2000

July 5th, 2012 at 11:08 PM ^

It was a couple weeks ago, but the cheesy fries at the Belleville Strawberry Festival sort of get me primed for my typical halftime trip to the concession stands in Michigan Stadium. There is something that says "home" about watching someone squeeze "cheese"  onto your basket of fries  from a machine that has an outdated "Ortega" logo on it. 

phork

July 5th, 2012 at 11:18 PM ^

Mine is the: Michigan Brewers Guild Summer Beer Festival.

 

I'll be the only guy (probably) there with an ND hat on.  Lets get drunk together!

74polSKA

July 6th, 2012 at 8:20 AM ^

They have a traditional demolition and a combine derby at my (well, used to be my) county fair.  Nothing like huge farm implements smashing into each other.  Our fair is the last county fair in Ohio and is held when football is back in season.  It's also right around my anniversary.  We spent a day at the fair and got to see our wedding pictures at the photographer's booth before we left for our honeymoon.  Good times.

As far as food, you can't beat a good polish sausage with onions and green peppers.  I also love the fried cheese on a stick.  I try to go to my HS athletic/band booster booth to support the kids.  They always have some great chicken and noodles and homemade pies.  Man, I wish summer was over!  I'm sure a week of 90's and no power isn't helping with that.  It's only supposed to be 103 today though, so I've got that going for me, which is nice.

LexArborWolvCats

July 6th, 2012 at 12:07 AM ^

I'm on a new kind of vacation for me on the New Jersey shore, and the boardwalk is like a fair all summer long. In the week that I've been here I've gained at least 5 lbs. from things like fried snickers, Oreos and my favorite after tonight, fried cheesecake. Unbelievable.

B-Nut-GoBlue

July 6th, 2012 at 12:10 AM ^

Never actually had it nor will I ever.  But down here in good ole' Iowa country it's definitely done.  I've always loved me a good corndog and funnel cake though (with a freshly squeezed lemonade).  Simple, but so delightful.

Wisconsin Wolverine

July 6th, 2012 at 12:10 AM ^

the Dane County Farmers' Market encircling the capitol building here in Madison.  they say it's one of the biggest farmers' markets in the nation.  I tried some of that spicy cheesey bread for the first time the other weekend, it was pretty solid.  

Blazefire

July 6th, 2012 at 10:09 AM ^

It goes back to the days of horse pulling. The heavier plow your horse can pull, the deeper and better it can churn the earth for planting. Farmers started having competitions to see whose horse could pull the heaviest plow the furthest.

Eventually, tractors overtook horses and heavier plows could be used. Modern pulling sleds are essentially giant plows with moving, weighted boxes. As the pulling sled moves down the pulling track, the weighted box moves forward causing the plow to dig deeper and deeper into the earth until either the tractor is stopped, or it passes 300 feet, considered a "full pull".



IT's a stupid, stupid competition that is loud and smoky and angry and I love it.

RowoneEndzone

July 6th, 2012 at 8:01 AM ^

Deep fried cheescake and garbage plates.  Just last night I made some frank n beans for a stag/camping party weekend and put 17 slices of american cheese in it.  Mmmmm.