A Whole Lotta Happy
Yesterday, I went to the North Carolina State Fair where the theme was “a whole lotta happy”. My favorite “happy” about the fair is the food. The smells greet you in the parking lot. Once inside, I head straight for the hotdogs. Almost every tent or stand serves hotdogs; however, my non-negotiable criteria for hotdogs are they must be red and they must be grilled. I was not disappointed at the Shriners’ tent and I felt good eating “bad for me” food knowing the profits help support the Shiners’ charity work for children’s hospitals.
My next stop was the exhibit halls. I love to view the 4-H entries, the decorated cakes, the items being hawked by Billy Mays wanna-bes and free samples of food. It’s here that I get the stickers which will adorn my sweat shirt for the remainder of the evening: Democratic Party, North Carolina State University (though I attended Meredith College, I cheer for NC State) and “Got Milk”. While eating my free peanuts, I’m mesmerized by the veggie peeler and steamer combination. As I watch the presentation, I think carrots have never looked so good and of course the reason I don’t buy more of them is because I don’t have the handy dandy tools I need to prepare them. But then I’m distracted by the fudge, and move quickly down the aisle for another free sample.
I’ve always said I’d eat anything dipped in chocolate, but this year’s fair proved that even I have my limits. The newest chocolate-dipped fad? Bacon. Yes, strips of bacon, fried crisp and dipped in chocolate. I saw it with my own eyes. Who is it that sits around the deep fryer during the winter months and tries to find the next big thing? I did try the deep fried Ho Ho. You can buy a box of Ho Hos for .99 and the box contains 5 packages with 2 cakes in each package – that’s 10 Ho Hos for .99. That, my friend, is a bargain, because a Ho Ho is a little bit of heaven. You have devil’s food cake, swirled with white creamy filling and coated in chocolate. That’s 3 of the basic food groups – cake, cream and chocolate. I paid $4.00 for one Ho Ho – not so much a bargain. The Ho Ho is speared on a wooden skewer, dipped in batter and deep fried, then dusted with powdered sugar. The cake consistency of the Ho Ho didn’t translate as well as the melted caramel, chocolate and peanuts of a deep fried Snickers bar – I’ll remember that next year when choosing my deep fried “happy”.
My next stop was the Midway - a prime spot for people watching. A whole lotta everybody attends the North Carolina State Fair. I saw country, city, punk and goth. Pink hair, fishnets, and overalls. And everyone was smiling, or laughing or eating or after riding the G Shock wishing they hadn’t eaten so much. People talked to each other that might not otherwise show up in the same place at the same time. I haven’t missed a North Carolina State Fair since I was in elementary school – it is one of the highlights of my fall. I like living in the South, I like calling North Carolina home and I left this year’s fair feeling a whole lotta happy.
My next stop was the exhibit halls. I love to view the 4-H entries, the decorated cakes, the items being hawked by Billy Mays wanna-bes and free samples of food. It’s here that I get the stickers which will adorn my sweat shirt for the remainder of the evening: Democratic Party, North Carolina State University (though I attended Meredith College, I cheer for NC State) and “Got Milk”. While eating my free peanuts, I’m mesmerized by the veggie peeler and steamer combination. As I watch the presentation, I think carrots have never looked so good and of course the reason I don’t buy more of them is because I don’t have the handy dandy tools I need to prepare them. But then I’m distracted by the fudge, and move quickly down the aisle for another free sample.
I’ve always said I’d eat anything dipped in chocolate, but this year’s fair proved that even I have my limits. The newest chocolate-dipped fad? Bacon. Yes, strips of bacon, fried crisp and dipped in chocolate. I saw it with my own eyes. Who is it that sits around the deep fryer during the winter months and tries to find the next big thing? I did try the deep fried Ho Ho. You can buy a box of Ho Hos for .99 and the box contains 5 packages with 2 cakes in each package – that’s 10 Ho Hos for .99. That, my friend, is a bargain, because a Ho Ho is a little bit of heaven. You have devil’s food cake, swirled with white creamy filling and coated in chocolate. That’s 3 of the basic food groups – cake, cream and chocolate. I paid $4.00 for one Ho Ho – not so much a bargain. The Ho Ho is speared on a wooden skewer, dipped in batter and deep fried, then dusted with powdered sugar. The cake consistency of the Ho Ho didn’t translate as well as the melted caramel, chocolate and peanuts of a deep fried Snickers bar – I’ll remember that next year when choosing my deep fried “happy”.
My next stop was the Midway - a prime spot for people watching. A whole lotta everybody attends the North Carolina State Fair. I saw country, city, punk and goth. Pink hair, fishnets, and overalls. And everyone was smiling, or laughing or eating or after riding the G Shock wishing they hadn’t eaten so much. People talked to each other that might not otherwise show up in the same place at the same time. I haven’t missed a North Carolina State Fair since I was in elementary school – it is one of the highlights of my fall. I like living in the South, I like calling North Carolina home and I left this year’s fair feeling a whole lotta happy.
Comments
Post a Comment