I'm Thinking Carnies!

Well Kids! The South Carolina State Fair starts Wednesday, October 8th and runs through October 19th. What is your favorite part of the fair? I would have to agree with the masses and say that it is the FOOD. I usually like to attend on the Pay One Price days and discover my inner-teeny bopper. I excitedly enter the main gate and I am taken back by the bright lights, noisy sounds, faint smell of cows, and always wonder, "Where do these people come from!" People watching is another fav fair activity of mine. Both the vendors AND the patrons. You can always find an interesting mix of people blowing their hard earned cash on giant stuffed animal lions, trying to get a tiny ring around a bottle, or re-living their "glory days" while pitching ball after ball. What should we do first? EAT, then play, then ride. Then EAT, then play, then ride. Over and over. It is like a sick twisted version of Eat, Pray, Love. My mind is dizzy with fair food choices: giant corn dogs, Fisk fries, fried candy bars, Greek gyros, candy apples, funnel cakes, Polish sausage, and those silly giant Turkey Legs! Let's hope it all stays in as we ride those ever-sturdy rides. Hey...where did the Dopple Looping go??? Well, I have always liked the Haunted House. Seriously.

When I was a kid, my dad LOVED to attend various county fairs. You see, this was up in Connecticut. There are country people everywhere. My dad would pack my mom and I into his '76 Corvette Stingray (Chevy Orange..mind you), with myself sitting shot gun on the hump in the middle. The highlight of the excursion was the tractor pull. I love tractor pulls. There I would be, perched on the fence, with my fresh, squeezed lemonade in hand, purple feathery clip in my hair, sparkly iron-on t-shirt (properly adorned with a unicorn, ET, or other 80s icon), enjoying every moment. One thing that I never understood. Who would ever buy those clocks made from petrified poop? Must have been a different era? I can recall entering the side-show tents to get a glimpse of Lobster Boy, the Bearded Lady, and the giant frogs to name a few. What were my parent's thinking? Well, I was a happy camper as long as I left with a brightly dyed rabbit's foot to hang from my key chain. Gross. However, it was those experiences that instilled a fondness for carnies and make me giddy for October to arrive in South Carolina.

I hope that these traditional fair food recipes help wet your palate for the plethora of choices that will be at your finger tips in just a few short hours! Mmmmmmmmmmm.

I think I am going to hold out on the rabbit's foot this year.

Recipes courtesy of Paula Deen:

Chili Dogs:

Ingredients

For the Texas-Style Chili:
3 pounds ground chuck
1 pound hot bulk sausage
3 onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chili powder
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes, chopped
3 (16-ounce) cans kidney beans

4 hot dogs
4 hot dog buns
1 cup grated Cheddar

Directions

Using a Dutch oven, combine the ground chuck, sausage, onions, and garlic. Cook over medium heat until the meat is browned, stirring the meat to break it up as it cooks. Drain the pan drippings. Stir in the chili powder, flour, sugar, oregano, salt, and stir well. Cover pot and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes and beans, and simmer for another 20 to 30 minutes.

Preheat a grill. Butterfly, or gently slice hot dogs lengthwise, making sure not to cut all the way through. Grill butterflied hot dogs until done, approximately 5 minutes. Place the buns on the grill to warm them. Place hot dogs in the bun. Put the hot dog on the plate with split side facing up. Ladle chili over and top with cheese.

Chocolate Dipped Apples:

Ingredients
4 Roma or Granny Smith apples
16 ounces semisweet chocolate, milk or dark
8 ounces white chocolate

Directions

Various dessert topping choices
Special equipment: 12 (3-inch) bamboo skewers or wooden pop sticks
Arrange toppings in medium sized bowls.

Wash and thoroughly dry the apples. Insert bamboo or wooden sticks into apple cores. Melt each kind of chocolate in separate bowls over double boilers. 1 at a time, gently dip the apples into the chocolate and roll around, making sure to thoroughly cover. Place on waxed paper. Using a spoon or wooden stick, carefully drizzle the white chocolate over the dark or milk. Use the thin side of the popsicle stick to make swirls and decorative patterns. Dip the apples into topping bowls or sprinkle toppings over the apples. Place decorated apples on waxed paper and refrigerate for 15 minutes to harden. Yield: 4 apples

Funnel Cakes:

Ingredients
2 cups milk
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) melted butter
Powdered sugar, for topping

Directions

Combine milk, egg, vanilla in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, and sugar and gradually add to wet ingredients. Beat with a mixer until a smooth batter forms. Fold in melted butter. Pour batter into a funnel or squeeze bottle while using your index finger to stop the flow of the batter. Bring the funnel over the hot oil and release your finger to start a stream of batter while moving the funnel in a circular motion to create spiral-like shapes. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown and slightly puffed. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Yield: 6-8 cakes

County Fair Turkey Legs:

Ingredients
2 liters lemon-lime soda
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons hot sauce
2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 Vidalia onion, chopped

Directions

1 tablespoon House Seasoning, recipe follows
3 tablespoons honey
4 turkey legs

Preheat grill. Combine all ingredients, except the House Seasoning and honey, in a large stock pot and bring to a low boil. Add turkey legs and boil for 30 minutes or until the turkey legs register 165 degrees F. Put turkey legs on the grill, season with House Seasoning and brush with honey. Grill over medium heat for about 15 minutes, rotating occasionally as needed. The turkey legs should be crispy and golden brown when done. Yield: 4 legs

House Seasoning:
1 cup table salt
1/4 cup pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder
Mix the ingredients together and store in an air-tight container for up to 6 months. Use as a seasoning on meat and when cooking vegetables.
Yield: 1 1/2 cups