*Carnival & Fair Food*

A fair is a gathering of people to display or trade produce or other goods, to parade or display animals and often to enjoy associated carnival or funfair entertainment. It is normally of the essence of a fair that it is temporary; some last only an afternoon while others may ten weeks. Activities at fairs vary widely. Some trade fairs are important regular business events where either products are traded between businesspeople, as at the Frankfurt Book Fair, where publishers sell book rights in other markets to other publishers, or where products are showcased to largely consumer attendees, as for example in agricultural districts where they present opportunities to display and demonstrate the latest machinery on the market to farmers. Fairs are also known by many different names around the world, such as agricultural show, fête, county fair, exhibition or state fair, festival, market and show. Flea markets and auto shows are sometimes incorporated into a fair.

*A Day at the Cleveland County Fair*

(Shelby, NC)

Carnivals, fairs, circuses, theme parks, seaside boardwalks, and sporting events offer the standard fare of hamburgers, hot dogs, French fries, pizza, sandwiches, cakes, cookies, candies, and ice cream, as well as varied ethnic foods, but they also sell specialized foods to their visitors that tend to be festive, visually impressive, fun to eat, and usually on the fattening side.

*Funnel Cakes*

"Originally associated with Pennsylvania but popular throughout the United States, the funnel cake is made by dripping a long stream of unleavened batter through a narrow funnel into hot oil, quickly producing a crunchy and visually impressive confection. Funnel cakes are typically served covered with powdered sugar."

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 3 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix salt, baking powder, and half of the flour. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream eggs, sugar and milk. Add flour mixture and beat until smooth. Continue to add remaining flour, but use only enough to achieve desired consistency. Batter will be thin enough to run through a funnel.
3. In an eight inch skillet, heat the oil to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4. Put your finger over the bottom opening of the funnel, and fill the funnel with a generous 1/2 cup of the batter. Hold the funnel close to the surface of the oil, and release the batter into the oil while making a circular motion. Fry until golden brown. Use tongs and wide spatula to turn the cake over carefully. Fry the second side one minute. Drain on paper towels, and sprinkle with sifted confectioners' sugar or cinnamon sugar.               

*Deep Fried Oreos*

"This is a carnival favorite. Oreos get dipped into pancake batter and fried - yummy!! You can do this with or without a deep fryer."

Ingredients

• 2 quarts vegetable oil for frying
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup pancake mix
• 1 (18 ounce) package cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreo®)

Directions

1. Heat oil in deep-fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Whisk together the egg, milk, and 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil in a bowl until smooth. Stir in the pancake mix until no dry lumps remain. Dip the cookies into the batter one at a time, and carefully place into the hot frying oil. Fry only 4 or 5 at a time to avoid overcrowding the deep fryer. Cook until the cookies are golden-brown, about 2 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate before serving.

*Corn Dogs*

"Hot dogs dipped into a corn-based batter and deep-fried. Most corn dogs are served on sticks to make them easy to eat with one hand. The thick batter obviates the need for a bun. Varieties at carnivals and fairs may be foot-long or longer."

Ingredients

• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1 quart vegetable oil for frying
• 2 (16 ounce) packages beef frankfurters
• 16 wooden skewers

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, salt, pepper, sugar and baking powder. Stir in eggs and milk.
2. Preheat oil in a deep saucepan over medium heat. Insert wooden skewers into frankfurters. Roll frankfurters in batter until well coated.
3. Fry 2 or 3 corn dogs at a time until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

*Chocolate Covered Bacon*

"A hit at state fairs everywhere, make this salty-sweet concoction at home. Some say bacon can't get any better, but I think chocolate makes everything better!"

Ingredients

• 12 thick-sliced bacon strips (about 1 pound)
• 12 wooden skewers (12 inches)
• 6 ounces white candy coating, chopped
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon shortening
• Optional toppings: chopped dried apple chips, apricots and crystallized ginger, finely chopped pecans and pistachios, toasted coconut, kosher salt, brown sugar, cayenne pepper and coarsely ground black pepper

Directions

• Thread each bacon strip onto a wooden skewer. Place on a rack in a large baking pan. Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until crisp. Cool completely.
• In a microwave, melt candy coating; stir until smooth. Combine chocolate chips and shortening; melt in a microwave and stir until smooth.
• With pastry brushes, coat bacon on both sides with melted coatings. Top each strip as desired. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate until firm. Store in the refrigerator.

*Caramel Apples*

 "Similar to candy apples, but covered with a sticky caramel coating which may then be covered with nuts."

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, cubed
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• Dash salt
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 10 to 12 Popsicle sticks
• 10 to 12 medium tart apples, washed and dried
• 1 cup salted peanuts, chopped

Directions

• In a large heavy saucepan, melt butter; add the brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil, about 10-12 minutes. Stir in milk. Cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads 248° (firm-ball stage). Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla.
• Insert Popsicle sticks into apples. Dip each apple into hot caramel mixture; turn to coat. Dip bottom of apples into peanuts. Place on greased waxed paper until set.

*Bratwurst*

Bratwurst is a common type of sausage in the United States, especially in the state of Wisconsin, where the largest ancestry group is German. Originally brought to North America by German immigrants, it is a common sight at summer cookouts, alongside the more famous hot dog. Wisconsin is also the origin of the "beer brat", a regional favorite where the bratwurst are poached in beer (generally a mixture of a pilsner style beer with butter and onions) prior to grilling over charcoal.
*How To Grill Bratwurst*

*Bloomin' Onion*

"The name of the dish comes from its menu name at Outback Steakhouse ("Bloomin' Onion"), which claims to be the dish's inventor. The owners of Scotty's Steak House in Springfield, New Jersey also claim to have invented this dish in the 1970s. The dish was a charter feature of the Outback Steakhouse restaurant chain when it opened in 1988, and remains prominent on its menu. Its popularity has led to its adoption as an appetizer at various other restaurant chains, most notably Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon, where it is best known as the "Texas Rose." The blooming onion is usually served with a restaurant-specific signature dipping sauce."

Ingredients

•                 Dipping Sauce:                    

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 2 tablespoons cream-style horseradish sauce
• 1/3 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper

                   Blooming Onion:                    

1 egg

1 cup milk

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/3 teaspoon dried oregano

1/8 teaspoon dried thyme

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

1 large sweet onion

3/4 cup vegetable oil for frying



Directions

1. To make sauce: In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, ketchup, horseradish, 1/3 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon oregano, a dash ground black pepper and cayenne pepper; mix well. Keep sauce covered in refrigerator until needed.
2. To make the batter: In a medium bowl, beat egg and add milk. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, cayenne pepper, paprika, ground black pepper, oregano, thyme and cumin; mix.
3. To slice onion: slice 1 inch off of the top and bottom of the onion and remove the papery skin. Use a thin knife to cut a 1 inch diameter core out of the middle of the onion. Now use a very sharp, large knife to slice the onion several times down the center to create 'petals': First slice through the center of the onion to about three-fourths of the way down. Turn the onion 90 degrees and slice it again in an X across the first slice. Keep slicing the sections in half, very carefully until the onion has been cut 16 times. Do not cut down to the bottom of the onion. (The last 8 slices will be difficult, be careful).
4. Spread the 'petals' of the onion apart. To help keep them separate you could plunge the onion into boiling water for 1 minute and then into cold water.
5. Dip the onion into the milk mixture and then coat it liberally with the flour mixture. Again separate the petals and sprinkle the dry coating between them. Once you're sure the onion is well-coated, dip it back into the wet mixture and into the dry coating again. This double-dipping ensures you have a well-coated onion because some of the coating will wash off when you fry the onion.
6. Heat oil in a deep fryer or deep pot to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Make sure you use enough oil to completely cover the onion when it fries.
7. Fry the onion right side up in the oil for 10 minutes or until it turns brown. When the onion has browned, remove it from the oil and let it drain on a rack or paper towels. Open the onion wider from the center so that you can put a small dish of the dipping sauce in the center.               
 
*Fried Turkey Legs*
"Fried turkey was originally considered a southern dish, but people all over the United States have caught on to and are trying this wonderful way of cooking. Fried turkey comes out a much deeper brown in color, and it can be marinated and flavored in a number of ways."


Ingredients

• 8 turkey legs, rinsed and patted dry
• 1/2 cup hot red pepper sauce
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Peanut oil, for deep frying
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon cayenne
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder

Directions

In a large shallow dish, place the turkey legs and season with the salt & pepper. In a small bowl, combine the hot sauce, Worcestershire, and lemon juice and whisk to combine. Pour mixture over the legs, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Heat the oil in the deep fryer to 365 degrees F.
In a large shallow dish, combine the flour, salt, black pepper, cayenne, and garlic powder and stir to combine. Roll the turkey legs in the mixture to lightly coat, shaking to remove any excess.
Carefully add the legs to the deep fryer, in batches if necessary. Fry for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until skin is golden brown and meat is completely cooked through. Drain on paper towels. Season with Essence, to taste, and serve hot.
 
*Grilled Italian Sausage Sandwich*
"These delicious grilled sausage sandwiches come together really quickly, and make a great summer lunch. Choose hot or mild sausages as you prefer."

Ingredients
• 4 (4 ounce) links hot Italian sausage
• 1 red bell pepper, halved and seeded
• 1 small onion, peeled and cut in half crosswise
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 (6 inch) sandwich rolls, split and toasted

Directions

1. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat. Lightly oil grate, and set 4 inches from the heat.
2. Pierce the sausages in a few places with a fork, and set aside. Slice off the bottoms of the onion halves so they will sit flat on the grill. Brush the bell pepper and onion halves with 2 teaspoons of olive oil.
3. Place the sausages, onions, and peppers on the preheated grill. Cook and turn the sausages until well browned and juices run clear. Cook vegetables until tender and peppers are slightly charred. Remove vegetables and sausages from the grill.
4. Place the peppers in a paper bag, close, and cool slightly. Remove and discard the charred skin from the peppers; slice peppers into strips. Slice the onion halves. Place salt and pepper to taste, and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a bowl. Add the peppers and onions, and toss until evenly coated. To serve, place sausages in sandwich rolls, and top with the pepper and onion mixture.