Our State Fair is a Great State Fair…

I love the State Fair of Texas.  There.  I’ve said it.  Well, I’ve said it lots of times, but not to you.  I missed the first Fair of my life, because I was only 3 months old.  I haven’t missed one since.

I remember when the fair was a dirty, smelly place with weird side shows and motorcycle daredevils riding in a cage.  It’s come a long way!

This is Big Tex.  He used to be a Santa Claus in a small town.  He’s been talking to us since before I was born!  He wears a size 70 boot.

The fair grounds have been around since about 1886, I think, in some form or other. The grounds are a National Historical Landmark. Many of the buildings there now were built during the 1930’s, I believe by the CCC.  Most of them are Art Deco.  Back in the 1970’s or 80’s, they started slowing restoring the buildings, and they are gorgeous today.  These murals wrap around the upper walls on the terrace of the Food and Fiber Building.

There are animals.

    

And midway rides.

   

And there are still a few weird things.

And food.  I mustn’t forget food.

One of the events of the fair is fried food.  The concessionaires compete before the fair for the most unusual, tastiest fried food.  We’ve seen fried pizza, fried PB & J, fried Latte, and fried cookie dough. The winner of Most creative 2009 was Fried Butter,  whipped butter, flavored with your choice of cherry, garlic, or something else.  I didn’t try this.  I know the fair only comes around once a year, and I don’t worry about what I eat on that one special day, but my arteries were screaming NO!!!  And so were my taste buds.  I didn’t talk to anyone who had tried it, so I can’t say much else about  it.

What I did try was Fernie’s Fried Peaches and cream.  Sheer genius.  Unfortunately, I didn’t think to take a picture before I scarfed this down.  This is how the website describes it.

“Sweet juicy peaches are coated in a delicious batter of cinnamon, ginger, coconut, graham cracker crumbs, eggs & milk, then deep fried to a crunchy golden brown on the outside, while luscious and sweet on the inside.  Served on a plate drizzled with raspberry sauce, lightly dusted with powdered sugar and topped with a cool dollop of whipped cream.  A side of vanilla butter cream icing is provided for dipping.”

They forgot to mention that the whipped cream was also drizzled with raspberry sauce, and there were a few un-fried peach slices on the side.  So, so good.  It’s a good thing I walked several miles that day!

Since there isn’t a picture of the Fried peaches, I’ll leave you with this fair food.

Yum!  Texas nachos.

Do you have a big state fair where you live?