Why fair food gets a television show

[Food Network Fan]

Why fair food gets a television show

By JEN MATSICK (jmatsick@reviewonline.com POSTED: August 30, 2009



I am an avid fan of the Travel Channel. I am also a fan of Food Network, mainly because they cook things on that channel that I will never be able to copy. Both channels sometimes have shows about the best food to be found at fairs across the country. The host will go to a particular fair, search for the best food, and try to explain how it tastes to the camera as he or she digs in.

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[BerryBaby]

I no longer go the state fair, however, yesterday they had a big article in the paper about all the healthy food our fair is serving this year. They still have the funnel cakes (I've never had one), corn dogs (not a fan), turkey legs and generally high fat, sugary stuff.

They have added things with tofu, fresh fruits, whole grains...healthy eats.

When we did go the fair, I never thought much about what we were going to eat. It was once a year and we just had fun...too busy to care about the fat and calories. Figured we probably burned a lot off just by walking miles and miles around the grounds.

[Pajangle]

Ummm, yeah--I don't WANT healthy food at the fair! The whole point is to eat sausage and peppers, fried dough, pizza, corn dogs, snow cones, taffy, and fudge.

[Food Network Fan]

Yeah I think that's part of the fun. Although I usually get the roasted ears of corn and sometimes fresh apples with caramel sauce. So it's not all junk. But the elephant ear is too good to pass up.

[BerryBaby]

I've never had an elephant ear or funnel cake. What are they like?

[Food Network Fan]

I don't like the funnel cakes as well they are sometimes too sweet with all the powder sugar. The elephant ear is kind of like a flattened out and fried cross between pizza dough and a biscuit with granulated sugar and cinnamon sprinkled on. I don't care for the sweet toppings on those either. The cinnamon is enough flavor for me.

[Pluff Mudder]

When I go to a state fair I don't worry about what I'm eating. Figure I do enough walking while there to burn up all or almost all those calories. And, the foods is usually one of the best things about a fair. Last state fair I was at (and the biggest I've been to) was the Great NY State Fair in Syracuse.

I like funnel cakes, but I usually go with the cinnamon/sugar topping. I like the stands that let you sprinkle your toppings on.

[ibcheft]

I like the funnels cakes, I like the elephant ears, I like the turkey legs, I like the fresh squeezed lemon aid, I like the corn on the cob, I like the sausage on a stick, shrimp on a stick, gator on a stick, the Carmel apples, the candy apples, I like the ice cream bars, the shaved ice, the silly fun houses, the rubber ducky game where your always a winner, when I am at a fair it is time to enjoy myself and quit worrying about the daily crap we usually have to deal with. That is what fairs are for to have FUN !

[Pluff Mudder]

...when I am at a fair it is time to enjoy myself and quit worrying about the daily crap we usually have to deal with. That is what fairs are for to have FUN !

Amen! We have two state fairs here each year. The main one (SC State Fair) is in Columbia the middle of Oct. and then closer to home in Ladson we have the SC Coastal Carolina Fair which runs Oct. 29th - Nov. 7th. Ours are late in the year so everyone doesn't drop over from the heat and humidity.

[Food Network Fan]

My son went with my Dad, but I didn't make it to ours this year.