Cotton candy, corn dogs and candy apples once ruled the midway at the local fair, but visitors now want food that's exotic—as long as it's on a stick, or more importantly, fried. From health-defying anomalies like fried dough injected with Pepsi to squirm-inducing chocolate-dipped scorpions, the new sideshow is food.
Here, Food & Wine presents 25 of America's Wacky Fair Foods.
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North Carolina: Kool-Aid Pickles
<blockquote><strong>Raleigh • Oct. 13–23</strong></blockquote>
<blockquote>Also known as Koolickles, pickles soaked in the sugary kids' beverage are a Southern tradition—and a sweet-and-sour snack at North Carolina's annual state fair.</blockquote>
<blockquote><strong>Plus: <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/slideshows/pickled-vegetables" target="_hplink">More Fantastic Pickles</a></strong></blockquote>
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<em>Photo © <a href="http://www.deepfriedkudzu.com" target="_hplink">deepfriedkudzu.com</a>.</em></blockquote>
Indiana: Hot Beef Sundae
<blockquote><strong>Indianapolis • Aug. 5–21</strong></blockquote>
<blockquote>When state fairgoers tired of the iconic rib eye steak sandwich, Indiana's Beef Cattle Association invented the Hot Beef Sundae, layered with mashed potatoes, marinated beef, gravy, cheese, corn "sprinkles" and a cherry (tomato).</blockquote>
<blockquote><strong>Plus: <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/slideshows/beef" target="_hplink">Delicious Beef Recipes</a></strong></blockquote>
<blockquote><em>Photo © <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12037949715@N01/" target="_hplink">Tom Coates</a>.</em></blockquote>
Arizona: Mealworm-Covered Caramel Apples
<blockquote><strong>Phoenix • Oct. 14–Nov. 6</strong></blockquote>
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Along with deep-fried crickets, the Arizona Exposition & State Fair's Chef du' Jour booth sells caramel apples dipped in mealworms.</blockquote>
<blockquote><strong>Plus: <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/slideshows/apples" target="_hplink">Worm-Free Apple Recipes</a></strong></blockquote>
<blockquote><em>Photo © Courtesy of Chef John of Chef du'Jour.</em></blockquote>
Florida: Cheeseburger with Fried Ice Cream
<blockquote><strong>Tampa • Feb. 9–20</strong></blockquote>
<blockquote>One Florida State Fairgoer rationalized the appeal of a cheeseburger topped with deep-fried ice cream by describing the salty-sweet hybrid as a "milk-shake burger."</blockquote>
<blockquote><strong>Plus: <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/slideshows/fried-foods" target="_hplink">More Fried Foods</a></strong></blockquote>
<blockquote><em>Photo © Courtesy of Dennis and Cheryl Reas.
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Texas: Fried Beer
<blockquote><strong>Dallas • Sep. 30–Oct. 23</strong></blockquote>
<blockquote>Even alcohol can be fried when it's pocketed in pretzel dough. The food innovation won the 2010 Big Tex Choice Awards at the Texas State Fair.</blockquote>
<blockquote><strong>Plus: <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/slideshows/beer-recipes" target="_hplink">Cooking with Beer</a></strong></blockquote>
<blockquote><em>Photo © <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28783003@N00/" target="_hplink">Amanda Gillispie</a>.</em></blockquote>
Montana: Fried Butter Balls
<blockquote><strong>Great Falls • Jul. 29–Aug. 6</strong></blockquote>
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While the Montana State Fair is famous for its Big Sky ProRodeo Roundup, Paula Deen wannabes and other fried-food enthusiasts head for the deep-fried butter balls.</blockquote>
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Plus: <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/slideshows/comfort-food" target="_hplink">More Comfort Foods</a></strong></blockquote>
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Photo © <a href="http://www.heatherkennedy.com/" target="_hplink">Heather Leah Kennedy</a>.</em></blockquote>
California: Deep-Fried White Castle Burgers
<blockquote><strong>Costa Mesa • Jul. 15–Aug. 14</strong></blockquote>
<blockquote>The Orange County Fair is so dedicated to frying that a vendor called Heart Attack Café chose Deep Fried Butter Stand as its new name after being pressured with legal action by Arizona's Heart Attack Grill. Even more stupendous: Chicken Charlie's fried White Castle cheeseburgers (bun and all).
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<blockquote>Plus: <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/slideshows/best-burgers-in-the-us" target="_hplink">Best Burgers in the U.S.</a></blockquote>
<blockquote><em>Photo © <a href="http://www.mylastbite.com/" target="_hplink">JoAnn Maxwell Stougaard</a>.</em></blockquote>
Kansas: Pickle Pop
<blockquote><strong>Hutchinson • Sep. 9–18</strong></blockquote>
<blockquote>The Kansas State Fair's answer to a freezer pop—filled with briny pickle juice—is a chilling, supersour pairing for the region's famous <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/cook-like-a-pit-master" target="_hplink">barbecue</a>.</blockquote>
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<strong>Plus: <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/slideshows/frozen-desserts" target="_hplink">F&W's Frozen Desserts</a></strong></blockquote>
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<em>Photo © <a href="http://www.harperreed.org/" target="_hplink">Harper Reed</a>.</em></blockquote>
Massachusetts: Fried Jelly Beans
<blockquote><strong>West Springfield • Sep. 16–Oct. 2</strong></blockquote>
<blockquote>The Big E (a nickname for the Massachusetts State Fair) doesn't force a choice between candy and funnel cake. These jelly beans are dipped in batter before being deep-fried.</blockquote>
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Plus: <a href="http://preview.foodandwine.com/slideshows/all-american-desserts" target="_hplink">All-American Desserts</a></strong></blockquote>
<blockquote><em>Photo © <a href="http://www.nineminutes.net/" target="_hplink">Melissa Rebelo</a>.</em></blockquote>
Wisconsin: Irish Stew on a Stick
<blockquote><strong>West Allis – Aug. 4–14</strong></blockquote>
<blockquote>Proving that even soup can be reimagined to fit on a stick, Slim McGinn's stand at the Wisconsin State Fair serves Irish Stew in a pastry shell for a portable, utensil-free meal.</blockquote>
<blockquote><strong><a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/slideshows/americas-wacky-fair-foods/12" target="_hplink">Click Here for 15 More of America’s Wacky Fair Foods</a></strong></blockquote>
<blockquote><em>Photo © Brian Jacobson.</em></blockquote>
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Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine could not be reached for comment.