The True Story of Food and Frolic at the Indiana State Fair
This past August, I coaxed my 3 teenage children to accompany me to the Indiana State Fair. We haven’t made a tradition of going every year, but it was the fair’s 150th anniversary, and we were given free tickets by our 4-H Club. I couldn’t imagine wasting $30.00 worth of tickets.
I have always enjoyed going to the State Fair. I can’t seem to tear myself away from the World’s Largest Boar (“Big Papa” weighs in at 1089 lbs). I watch in amazement as newborn calves struggle to their feet in the fair nursery. I giggle at pygmy goats butting each other off Goat Mountain, shy away from the 6-foot long lake sturgeon, and consider the cuteness of the miniature horses pulling itty-bitty stagecoaches. And, though the last time I watched a concert at the State Fair, I was dripping off the arm of my 19-year-old boyfriend, it is my understanding that the concerts never disappoint those looking for big name talent. The night we went, Kid Rock’s tunes could be heard throughout the fairgrounds.
The most shocking thing to me about the whole State Fair experience is how much I enjoy the food. Typically, I am an extremely healthy eater. I never eat fried food. Period. My family will be the first ones to testify that my meals at home are fairly bland. I do not enjoy cooking. I also find that the more you try to jazz up a meal with cheeses, creamy sauces or gravies, the heavier it becomes with fattening calories.
But, when I go to the fair, I take a food vacation. We began our food tour with a big basket of fried green tomatoes. I first tasted this treat immediately after seeing the movie of the same name. I tried a recipe at home and found them to be the most delicious, juiciest flavor explosion ever. Like everything else, they always taste better at the fair. You practically had to scrape me off the dusty concrete after I had sprinkled them in salt and dipped them in ranch dressing. Mmmmmm.
The second stop was the Fried Veggies stand. The basket of breaded bell peppers, cauliflower, onions, and squash settled unsympathetically on top of the fried green tomatoes. As our fat-free stomachs were beginning to get upset, we vowed to take a break from eating anything else fried.
After a lengthy fifteen minutes, we spied the Fried Candy Vendor. Available at this booth was Fried Ho-hos, Snickers, Milky Way, and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. I was feeling a bit naughty, so I turned my back on the vow against fried food.
Being a frugal gourmet, I chose the Fried Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups to share between the four of us. I was swayed by the meager $3.50 sticker price. After realizing each member of my family was only able to bite a single chunk off the modest indulgence, I was nearly disappointed in my financial choice. I had just paid over 87 cents a bite! The price was, however, worth finding out how fried candy tasted. The outside resembled a fried biscuit, while the inside imitated a grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwich, smothered in chocolate sauce.
Other food included in our smorgasbord was Henry the Eighth sized turkey legs, pork tenderloin sandwiches, funnel cakes, dill pickle flavored popcorn, salt water taffy, snow-cones, honey sticks, and very expensive sodas.
Throughout the day, I spent more than $70 on food for my three children and myself. Don’t tell my husband. I always chastise him for eating this stuff, while poking his growing belly. I was outside myself that day, and simply could not find the willpower to stop eating.
Indigestion aside, the day was a pleasant success. Even the kids were surprised at what a good time they had. I’ve discovered something they probably won’t realize until they have children of their own. No matter how old you get, something magical happens when you stroke a colossal draft horse on his muzzle, cuddle peeping yellow chicks beneath your chin, and pet newborn piglets while they grunt sleepily beside their momma. For a few precious moments, the State Fair helped us all reconnect with the wonder of our childhoods.
