
But what can you find at the fair this year? All sorts of strange and unusual stuff, things you’d never try in a restaurant but might be apt to try at the once a year extravaganza known as the Arkansas State Fair.

Famous Dave’s paired up with Cargill and Wilton Chocolates up there to come up with the original -- sticks of apple wood bacon dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with sea salt.

Here in Arkansas, the fair folks are doing it a bit differently. Instead of cold bacon and its Magic Shell-like chocolate, bacon rounds are threaded onto sticks and dipped in a rich milk chocolate sauce. The combination of sweet and salty is sure to turn heads this year.
Another unusual entry at this year’s fair --


I’ve been perusing the official list of foods from the Fair folks that contains what’s new and what’s tried and true. I was quite surprised to see Mozzarella Sticks on the new list. We’ve all had them, right? Sometimes they’re pretty good -- when they’re cooked the right amount of time. Sometimes, especially late night in your favorite bar, they can come out absolutely hollow after being left in the oil a bit too long.
Another new entry this year is cheese nuggets -- big lumps of cheddar cheese that have been battered and deep fried. This savory something comes from Wisconsin (no surprise there) and will fill you up quick. Not for those who can’t tolerate a bit of grease.

Of course, that’s not all you’ll find deep fried at the Fair this year. Though Arkansas’ big event tends to be a little less fried than, say, food row at the Texas State Fair, you can’t throw a T-Rav without hitting something fried. On the heels of the ever popular Fried Coke comes Fried Dr. Pepper. The batter is similar to what you’ll find in a funnel cake; the big difference is that the liquid in the recipe has been replaced with Dr. Pepper. The dumplings of Pepper-dom come doused with a little Dr. Pepper syrup and topped with a bit of whipped cream.
Another entry into the “I can’t imagine why they needed to deepfry that” category -- Deep Fried Chicken Fried Steak on a Stick. That takes some getting your head around. I’m having a hard time even picturing it. I wonder if it’s served with gravy.
Then there’s deep fried cheesecake -- another one of those things that someone out there thought needed perfecting. I talked with Tom Lyons, the Director of Food Services at the Arkansas State Fair, and he tends to agree. “I don’t know why someone would take a perfectly good food like cheesecake and deep fry it,” he told me when relating some of the many things that are coming to the Fair this year. “But someone probably wanted to give it a try.”

One more Fair folk entry into the fried food arena -- fried hot wings.
Rounding out other fried foods at the Fair -- the Southern classic, Fried Green Tomatoes. I wonder how the tart tasting veggies will sell alongside all those other offerings.
One food Lyons told me about did give me a bit of a boost -- an idea that seems natural to me, but a bit tastier and healthier than the traditional Fair food. This year, you’ll be able to find Sirloin Burgers not far off the Midway. These hand-patted fresh ground creations have never seen a freezer. “It’s fresh ground from the steak, which is good stuff,” Lyons says. I believe him. Cooked to order fresh burgers sound remarkably good even now.
Sounds like most of the stuff I’ve mentioned just couldn’t be healthy for you, right? Well, guess again. Strawberry Smoothies are coming in -- lots of fruit, lots of dairy, the perfect thing to wolf down with your chili dog before jumping on a ride. There are also beef and chicken kebabs, rosemary chicken, gyros, and taco salads. So even those with an aversion to things that are deep fried or battered have some options.
Old favorites like funnel cakes aren’t just topped with powdered sugar; for a little more, you can have apples or sugar-sweetened strawberry sauce or chocolate syrup or even caramel drizzled all


“The thing about fair food, the uniqueness -- it’s stuff people won’t try at restaurants.” And he’s right. Our state fair is a chance to throw caution to the wind. It’s 10 days out of the year when diets go right out the window in favor of a chance to sample something unique and different that you’re not going to find on the menu at your local restaurant, stuff you aren’t willing to waste money on experimenting with at home. Never mind that the fried Oreo you’re about to bite into is loaded with calories -- it’s something different, something to entertain your palate as you’re overloading your eyes and ears on the exhilaration of a once-a-year happening. So what if you gain a few pounds?

The Arkansas State Fair runs October 10-19 at the State Fairgrounds in Little Rock. Check out the website for schedules and the like.
It's not all bad...you walk from the parking lot into the fair, from the front door to the food and rides. If you eat enough and ride enough rides, all that food will come back up! Lol. I may have to try the chocolate covered bacon, just to say that I have IF I make it to the fair (which is doubtful in itself).
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