State Fair Foods

Deep Fried Cheesecake

Boy and I went to the NC State Fair last night.

Last year was our first visit to the North Carolina State Fair, but I remember fair food from when I was little girl as endless stalls selling amazing, exotic goodies that I'd have to beg my mom to buy for me.

I don't know if I'm older now, or if Cary has such great restaurants that we've been spoiled, but we weren't interested in any of the gyros or kebabs, much as we love them. We wanted to try things we could only get at the fair, which pretty much meant something batter-dipped and deep fried.

I know it's not healthy, but I'm a big fan of deep-fried anything. A chippie near me in the UK offered a fried Mars bars, which is an amazing concoction of melted chocolatey goo and crispy beer batter, but I could only manage a few bites. I figured a deep-fried Ho-Ho or Oreo would have the same effect.

I sampled some buffalo chicken rangoons, which were truly amazing. Crab rangoons are a staple of the food court Chinese food menu, or the combo-plate Chinese delivery, a light dough shell wrapped around (usually mediocre) cream cheese and imitation crabmeat. The egg roll-ish shell is really the best part -- I've used them at home to repackage leftover chicken and veggies as Asian treats. Filled with spicy chicken, they were fantastic. The only improvement would have been ranch or bleu cheese dipping sauce, which would probably also have required napkins and silverware.

We also passed a stand selling chicken gizards and livers, but that was a bit too unique for me.

Boy stopped to eat some chocolate covered bacon, and found it underwhelming. He offered me a bite, as well.

"That was a half-hearted taste," Boy said. "I've seen you eat duck feet with more enthusiasm."

"I just don't know if I'm sadder about the yummy bacon being contaminated with chocolate, or the yummy chocolate being contaminated with bacon." I said. "Also, I was eating the duck feet for international dialogue and cooperation!"

I also remember my childhood caramel apples as being huge, unwieldy messes, guaranteed to leave a sticky residue on, oh, everything. I guess enough parents realized this too because one stand offered apple slices with caramel, a perfect size for splitting, with no caramel mess.

Cooling caramel poured over tart green apple slices was perfect end to an autumn night.