The American Observer “On the Road”: Unique Sights at the North Carolina State Fair
By JANINE COOPER
Observer Staff
Oct. 25, 2007
According to North Carolina fair-goers, “Everything tastes better fried!”
The city of Raleigh, North Carolina held its annual State Fair, which featured everything from fried cheeseburgers to fried candy bars.
“It’s good, but it’s weird,” one fairgoer said.
Observer Photos by Janine Cooper
Slideshow By Jing Lin
One of the food vendors showed this American Observer writer how to make these fatty delights. Most of the food is battered and then dipped into oil to be deep-fried. Candy bars, such as Snickers, Milky Way, and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are rolled in batter, dipped into oil for a few seconds until crispy on the outside. After the sizzling process people will have their favorite candy bar melted and gooey inside a crispy crust.
Another favorite is the fried cheeseburger. Cheeseburgers are deep-fried to a crisp, just like the candy bars, then served on sticks and dipped into ketchup and mustard as tradition persists .
Among the strangest things deep fried was Coca-Cola. How can one possibly fry a soft drink? Food vendors at the state fair found a way. Dough is fried, and then infused with the soda. The dough is then put into a cup with more soda, topped with whipped cream and, of course, a cherry.
Oreo cookies, Twinkies, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are among the other fried foods.
A man who had never tried fried Oreos said, “They were really good. I have to get some more.”
At a booth run by C. Vincent Thomes, deep-fried banana pudding is a specialty. This definitely is a new twist on an old southern favorite.
When it comes to food at the fair, I guess the motto is “If you can eat it, then it can be fried.”
When not nibbling on numerous fried foods, attendees could be seen roaming through the many exhibits at the 2007 State Fair. One exhibit displayed a seven-pound sweet potato. The blue-ribbon winner of the largest pumpkin contest was a 400-plus pound pumpkin. Fair-goers even got the opportunity to see the largest watermelons grown in the state.
Over 700,000 people attended the fair during its two-week run. Some came for the food, some came for the exhibits, but most came for a good, old-fashioned time.
