Nebraska State Fair

Sometimes you just need to say YES to all kinds of bad food . . . bad in a good way, of course. I spent today eating my way through the Nebraska State Fair in Lincoln on a beautiful late summer day. The focus here is fried things and things on sticks . . . sometimes fried things on sticks . . . and everything I ate was wonderful in a way only fair food can be. So, here are the highlights:

Hot Beef Sundae [yes, you read correctly]: garlic mashed potatoes, sliced roast beef, more mashed potatoes, brown gravy, cheddar cheese and a cherry tomato on top. Its like a roast beef dinner in a sundae bowl and it was GOOD! I could have eaten two, but wanted to save room for other treats. I had never seen anything like this before and hope that it makes its way to the Oregon State Fair in the future.

Deep Fried Peach on a Stick: oh yeah baby! A fresh peach, impaled on a stick, dipped in funnel cake batter and plopped in the hot fat. Crispy and hot, the peach warm and sweet, with a sprinkle of powdered sugar for good measure. Who thinks of this stuff!

Pineapple Whip: I'm not actually sure what this stuff is ... frozen pineapple stuff, kind of like ice cream, but not. Lighter in texture and full of pineapple flavor. Because its cold and light and tastes like fruit, it seems that it should be on the healthy side of the spectrum. But remember, this is the fair, so I'm sure its as full of empty calories and fat as everything else. And, its good!

Deep Fried Oreos: another fried revelation, oreo cookies dipped in batter, fried, then covered with some whipped cream when served. Crunchy, chocolaty, gooey and perfect.

Corn Dogs: who doesn't love a corn dog! They have gotten a bad rap because of the Costco/supermarket premade abominations. But a well made corn dog, dipped in the batter and lowered into the hot fat right in front of you, well, this is another story. Hot and crisp, flavorful corn bread batter and a good hot dog . . . dinner on a stick just in need of a slather of mustard and we're set. More fair goodness.

Deep Fried Twinkies: well, why not . . . frying makes everything better and a twinkie is no exception. Crispy, the outer layer of cake almost caramelized, and the filling [what is that stuff, anyway] warm and gooey. Again I ask, who thinks of this stuff!!

Lemonade: gotta have something to drink, and freshly squeezed is a fair staple and very good. Tart and cold, its the perfect thing to wash down the other tasty treats and refresh the palate in preparation for more fatty fun.

Don't tell the cardiologists about all of this, just enjoy. What fun!!