When I was a kid, we went to the county fair every year. It was the highlight of my summer. My parents or my friend’s parents would take us and we’d play the midway games and go to the 4-H demonstrations. There were baby goats, pigs—and pig racing—a petting zoo, and milking demonstrations.
And we’d eat. Cotton Candy, hot dogs, soda.
It was heaven for a kid turned loose with $20 in her pocket.
Yesterday we went to the L.A. County Fair. It was the first time in about 15 years that I’ve been to a fair–and it was the first time I went to the L.A. County Fair. I can’t believe how much fairs have changed over the years. They’ve always had the shopping pavillions with the up-and-coming Sham-Wow guys, jewelry cleaners, new windows and arts and crafts. But I don’t know if this is specific to the L.A. County Fair, or if it’s just par for the course now, but there was a section that was like a giant swap meet—cheap clothing and shoes, cell phone supplies and all sorts of randomness. It was kind of disappointing.
But really, the only reason to go to the fair is for the food. From 10 a.m. to midnight you can eat anything you want—in cholesterol-clogging, artery-busting, coronary-inducing quantities.
When we got there, I started with a BBQ beef sandwich and an ear of corn. This was probably the healthiest thing I ate all day. And that corn? Was perfect. It was fresh, crunchy and grilled just enough.
The corn on the cob rocked my world
When we finished our lunch, I spotted a stand with chocolate-covered bacon.
Photo by Elise Thompson (LAist.com)
It was basically thick pieces of bacon dipped in dark chocolate and served in Chinese take-out containers. I’m not a fan of dark chocolate, so I didn’t love it, but Bill thought it was weirdly good.
We heard a rumor that someone was serving deep-fried pizza. We didn’t find it, but we did find the deep-fried Oreos. I think I’m in love (and a little bit sick).
Doughnut-y, Oreo-ish goodness with a sprinkle of powdered sugar and drizzled with chocolate
And this place…
Chicken Charlies
Chicken Charlies will fry just about anything. They serve fried Avocados, fried White Castle burgers, fried frog legs and fried Twinkies.
I was more interested in a drink at this point.
daiquiri and a beer=$24
The daiquiri cleansed my palate so we went searching for more greasy goodness and found these…
Tasty Chips
These Tasty Chips are hand-cut, homemade potato chips with just the right amount of salt. They give you dipping sauces like ketchup, ranch or this jalepeno cheese sauce. After much sampling and tasting it was determined that for optimal flavor you should dip the chips in ketchup first, then the cheese sauce. Personally, I’m a purist and ate them plain.
By this point, I was feeling a little sick, so I bypassed these….
Caramel-y deliciousness
But I was thinking about having one of these.
Monster Sausage
These foot-long Italian sausages are served on a grilled bun, smothered in onions and peppers.
This place…
Juicy's cranks out a lot of BBQ
cranks out a whole lot of this…
Finger-lickin' good
cazy amounts of chicken, and turkey legs bigger than your head.
That place also serves this:
Okay, I've heard of chicken and waffles. But this?
A chicken sandwich served on a Krispy Kreme doughnut.
I was sorry I didn’t get a chance to tackle the dill pickles, eat the brick of french fries or eat a waffle cone full of ice cream, but you’d need to hit the fair every single day for a month to hit all of the food places.
And you should keep your cardiologist on speed dial.
I think I’m totally going back next year.
PS: These photos were all taken with my Blackberry. Not too shabby, hu?
Filed under: Apropos of Absolutely Nothing, Drinking, Food, Life, Los Angeles, Random, Sick |
The Daily Snark 
I think I got a little bit sick just reading your post. I don’t think I could do the chocolate covered bacon and OMG can I just say gross for the chicken sammie on the krispy kreme. Yuck!
I bet that chocolate covered bacon would have actually rocked if it were covered in milk chocolate. I like that whole sweet and savory thing. But the chicken sandwich on a Krispy Kreme? Ugh. Not so much.
I feel a little sick, too… Great pictures! I do want to try those deep fried Oreos, and my son says deep fried Twinkies dipped in raspberry sauce are wonderful (I’m a little skeptical). To try any of them, I would probably actually have to actually go to the fair. I hate the fair, so it’s probably not happening soon.
We debated the Twinkies. And oh my holy hell, they even had deep fried pickles.
I like fairs. I like betting on horse raising, seeing all the animals and checking out all of the stuff for sale. But the Los Angeles County Fair is a little ghetto; I’m not sure I’d go back, but I may try one of the less “urban” fairs (ones that don’t check you for weapons) next year.
Great photos Mo! You made me feel sick all over again!
I fully expected to be ill from drinking too much wine in the sun. I underestimated my ability to turn down the grossest, most fatty food known to man.
i haven’t been to a fair in forever!! your post makes me want to go just to try all the foods that i have clearly been missing!! well. maybe not the chocolate bacon. or, you know. the frogs legs. i don’t have to worry about the krispy kreme/chicken sammy – no krispy kremes here. never had one. 😦 but i do see a fair in my future.
This post? IS DISGUSTING. Heh.
I’m sad for the passing of the fair, only because I’ve laughed my ass off for weeks at the commercials they’ve been running, Have you seen those? OMG. Heeee-laaa-riii-ous!
Yeah! I like the one with the girls who made the “healthy” pie or whatever the hell that is!
Next year, I’m dragging you with me!
Oh dear god.
I want the fair. And all the food. Not fair!!! I think I will invade California. I think they need more people with 3D glasses and white coats there.
*SNORT*
My face is frozen in yucky-face mode after being stuck that way the whole time I was reading this post. I don’t understand how a teeny thing like you could devour all this stuff in one day and live to tell about it. You’re awesome invincible gut woman!
Fried avocado? That is just anarchy.
I think you ate more in that one day than I have in the last month. No joke.
Aaaargh! Flashbacks to childhood county fair (cowpie pastries and deep fried mozzarella and cider licks) and my one visit to the Minnesota State Fair: where everything that could be jammed on to a stick (and even that would couldn’t) was—and then fried or altered in some calorie-enhancing manner.
And the Butter Queen and the seed art? Hokey when spoken of, kinda cool when seen in person.
Ohhh, I could go for some fried cheese curds. . . .
This year in Texas we have fried butter. FOR REALZ. (why am I speaking hood rat tonight???…I don’t know.) I’m totally going to try it, gross as it sounds…
I heard they had fried butter at ours, but I couldn’t find it. Apparently, they inject a piece of butter with some kind of flavoring and then deep fry it. Let me know how you like it!