I got to thinking: What good is a top 10 list once the fair is over? I only have 1 item left and I have already eaten it before. I know where it falls so…here are the good and the bad of the 2014 fair.
Top 10 Best Foods
1) Deep Fried Snickers, Deep Fried Candy Bar Booth
These are just so over the top and indulgent. You would never eat these outside of the fair and they have the perfect texture.
2) Super Stick, Spaghetti Eddie’s
Prepared to order, pepperoni with mozzarella cheese inside wrapped in a buttery crust. By far the best pizza-type food I came across.
3) Cheese On-A-Stick
You have to visit the booth by the Giant Yellow Slide. These are always melty good and a must have every year.
4) Handmade Nut Roll
I love nut rolls and these are served still warm. They are very sugary and sweet. I would get one to take home.
5) Pronto Pup/Big Dog Corn Dog/Poncho Dog
Choose whichever one you like best but they all make the list and are fabulous. Try them all like I do.
6) Breakfast On-A-Stick, The Sandwich Stop
This is a fun, unique item that had great flavor that I haven’t found elsewhere. A must-try fair food.
7) Chocolate Covered Cheesecake, Granny’s Cheesecake
Frozen cheesecake, fresh dipped in chocolate. They are better than any popsicle and a wonderful dessert.
8) Tater Twister, Texas Tater
This was really fun to eat. Although it was a bit greasy it was a “single serving” size and I loved that I could peel it apart as I ate it. Softer than chips, crunchier than french fries.
9) Deep Fried Baklava, Dino’s Gyros
This is as flaky as flaky can be. A very sweet treat and tastes like traditional Baklava, but with added layers of crust.
10) Mocha On-A-Stick, MN Farmers Union
While I thought it was a bit over-priced ($5.75), it was creamy and had a great coffee flavor.
I had Mickey’s Beef Kabobs as my number ten favorite but with such terrible pork and chicken I was having a hard time determining if the beef was the rule or the exception. You will have to determine this one on your own.
Top 10 Worst Foods
1) Wine Crusted Deep Fried Brie On-A-Stick, Minnesota Wine Country
This was awful. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.
2) Chicken Nachos On-A-Stick, Tejas
The meat was terribly fatty and it wasn’t actually on a stick, just the chicken was. It had pumped nacho cheese and cheap tortilla chips.
3) Deep Fried Cookie Dough, Sonny’s
This was very undercooked and had zero texture.
4) Gummy & Jaw Breaker – World’s Largest On-A-Stick, iCandy
I think the lesson here is to not buy anything that is prepackaged. There are so many freshly made snacks, that buying something that you purchase year round isn’t the route I would take. There are a million other options to get your sweets fix.
5) Pizza On-A-Stick, Tino’s
This was very blah. It wasn’t hot, it didn’t have a lot flavor, it just took up space in my stomach.
6) Puff Daddy, Sausage Sister’s and Me
This tasted like it had been under the heat lamps too long. Get their Twisted Sister instead, much better.
7) Buffalo Kabobs, Minnekabobs
The flavor of this was bland and the price was outrageous. I don’t think it counts as a healthy option either since it sits in a marinade once it is grilled.
8) Alligator Sausage, Bayou Bob’s Gator Stand
This sausage was too fatty. It tasted great while I was eating it, but left me feeling very blah when it was gone.
9) Fried Fruit, Fried Fruit Stand
The is a bad combination and the fruit tastes like it came out of a freezer or can. The warmth of the fruit and the greasiness of the batter were a terrible texture. These guys sell Deep Fried Olives…go that route instead.
Fried Olives with cream cheese
10) Pickle On-A-Stick, Fried Pickles
These pickles are just too big. They have lots of seeds in the middle and are very soft. I love pickles, but these ones are too large. Try the pickles from Pickle Dog instead. They are smaller and crunchier.
Please keep in mind that this is MY OWN opinion. Most of the vendors on the worst food list have other options available, some of which have now become my favorites.
State Fair Food Challenge 