CityView Magazine

food F Deep fried or on a stick, fair food satisfies BY KELLY TWEDELL held September 7-16 at the Crown Center, the Fair each year means one thing only: Food. Vendors and conces- sionaires will travel from near and far to round out the full county fair experience with their oſten wacky spe- cialties — and fairgoers will alight on the fairgrounds eager to lose their waistlines in deep fried delight. Fair food leans towards huge – think ginormous or some it's all about the rides, for others it's the games and still others go just for the exhibits. But for many who will visit The Cumberland County Fair, A few of the local vendors this year will include D & D Concessions, which will be selling Italian sau- sages, turkey legs and funnel cakes. Kenneth Dean of D & D Concessions has been work- turkey legs and foot long sausage sandwiches. And, of course, anything on a stick is bound to be popular and to please more than just the eye. State Fairs have been known for their fried innova- ing the fair for seven years and says his favorite part of the event are the people. He said he has a lot of repeat business and the Fair gives him a chance to see friends he has made throughout the years. And there will be plenty of food for all, as Dean estimates that he'll bring around 300 pounds of Italian sausage, and around 200 pounds of turkey legs to smoke on the cooker. Other vendors include Hoops Fun Foods which will tions since the 1940's when attendees at the State Fair of Texas were introduced to the corn dog. According to World's Fair expert and author Bill Cotter, the best- seller in the mid-1960s was the Belgian waffle. In recent years concessionaires seem to be compet- ing to create the craziest deep fried delicacies and crea- tive concoctions. Things battered and fried in recent years include Oreos, cheesecake, Snickers candy bars, bacon, Twinkies and, though it baffles the mind, even Kool-Aid. Even usually healthy minded folk gear up and pre- pare to partake in some not-so-healthy fair food, all in the name of tradition. serve up its Philly Cheese Steak sandwiches, turkey legs and butterfly potatoes; Tar Heel Creamery will be there with its ultra premium small batch ice cream; and Rob- ert Illig's beloved Holy Smoke BBQ will, of course, be serving a variety of barbecue. Dusty Donuts, owned and operated by Jake West, will be peddling his famous hot-n-fresh mini donuts by the dozen. At a recent event he had customers lined up as he passed out 250 bags in one hour. This is his first time at the Cumberland County Fair but he is excited to introduce his cinnamon sugared, chocolate sugared and powdered sugar mini donuts to fairgoers, a staple in Wisconsin, where he first discovered them and pur- chased his mini-donut machine. Preparations will be underway in his 7x12' yellow and red trailer. "The main reason we do it is to have fun," said West. CV CityViewNC.com | 29

• Cover