Orange County California. Images of economic prosperity, mansions and beautiful people may come to your mind. Your brain may be overpowered by scenes of Newport and Laguna Beach. T.V. programs have indeed glamorized this county. Nevertheless, not everything presented in the small screen is synonymous of reality.
It is true. There are a lot of attractive and aloof types in the county. After living there or nearby for 8 years, you realize it is a relatively normal place. You even discover the county’s fair. What? A fair with agricultural roots on such a glamorous county? Well, the Orange County Fair has been taking place since 1890. Today, it is one of the biggest fairs in the United States, receiving more than a million visitors during its nearly one month appearance.
I have to admit I have been visiting the Fair for years. I mean, nowadays, it has something for everybody. This year I was able to enjoy the following attractions and exhibits:
- Farm animals
- Fruit and vegetables
- Crafts Village
- Photography
- Carnival
- Rides
- Market selling exclusion products
- Live performances
- Music
- Insects and reptiles (yuck!)
- AND FOOD STALLS
If you read this blog frequently, you know I have a thing with food. I want to make myself believe that I go to the Fair to enjoy the wide range of attractions. Secretly, I just want to eat as much as possible. That is my secret. Don’t tell anyone.
The food stalls and restaurants at the Fair are numerous. I don’t think you will be able to eat at all of them even if you visit every day. Well, it is so fun to walk around and take a look at the offerings. In here, I have picked the best offerings on certain categories (selected by no other than me).
Let’s see what the fair has to offer in terms of food (if you can call some of these foods).
Grossest Food
Let’s start with probably the stall offering the most unbelievable repulsive things. I don’t actually think it sounds that bad. The problem is that I told a coworker what I saw at this stall and she almost threw up. That is when I realized these offerings may cause extreme reactions in some people.
Take a look at the following photo.
Wide selection of foods to clog your arteries
Fried butter? Chocolate covered corndog? They even feature a lady with defibrillator implying you will need medical help after eating there. I am not sure who buys this stuff. I tried to coax my husband into trying something from the stall but he opposed. If dung beetle larva (true story) sounds more appealing than this, ahem, then I don’t know who has the guts to eat at the stall. Let me know if you have tasted any of this.
Funniest Food
The grossest food stall is also the winner in this category. They offered the Michelle Obama Nightmare Combo. It consisted of deep fried butter sticks, beer battered bacon and a chocolate covered corndog. Enough to be Jillian Michael’s nightmare.
I realy want to see Obama or Jillian Michaels eating this combo
Don’t understand why is deep fried
These fairs have an obsession with deep frying. You will understand me if you have to witness deep fried Klondike bars, Twinkies, Oreos, Snicker bars and even Kool-Aid. Brrrr!
Food Stall in the Fair
Best way to eat your veggies
Most of what is sold at this place can be considered as junk food (maybe more than that). However, we can’t deny some stalls sell yummy grilled vegetables. What about onions, bell peppers, zucchini and tomatoes just off the grill?
Grilled onions and bell peppers
Or, what about some chicken kabobs with gigantic vegetable pieces?
Giant Kabobs
Grilling huge amounts of food
Roasting monster pieces of meat
Grilled ribs
Prettiest Food
The Fair does a good job demonstrating or exposing the county resident’s culinary abilities. There was everything from cute cupcakes to jelly beans statues (!). I crowned a wedding cake the fair’s prettiest (tough choice).
Beautiful cake
Note: The cake in the previous photo was created by Greggy Soriano of Cake Lush
Best accessory used to prepare food
At the products market, I stayed for a blender demonstration. I know, I know. What a way to have fun (sarcastic). Seriously, this is the most amazing blender I have seen. I saw how soup was prepared in minutes. The thing even makes ice cream. We got samples and the flavors were amazing. So sad there is a $500 obstacle between the blender and me.
What we had for lunch
Do you think I was going to finish this post without discussing what I ate? I had a cheese steak sandwich and my husband had grilled chicken. Lunch was so and so.
Philly Cheesesteak Plate
Grilled Chicken Plate
What we had for dinner
Don’t get surprised because we had two meals at the fair. We were there about 8 hours so you get an idea why two meals were necessary. I decided to have a smoked turkey leg this time. My husband decided to eat a hot dog, an extra large hot dog. Second meal was way better than the first one.
Smoked Turkey Leg
Giant Hot Dog
Now is the time to tell me what you have seen or tasted in similar fairs. Let me know in the comments section below.
Ok, I tried deep fried twinkies! They were ok, not something that made me want them again! I love fair food and it is supposed to be junky. That is the entire point.
Debbie Beardsley @ European Travelista recently posted..Wine Tasting & Biking in Burgundy
I have to agree the fried foods at the county fairs are gross! I don’t understand the fascination for deep frying everything. The grilled meats made me drool though. YUM.
Grace recently posted..Travel Photo Thursday: Blast from the Travel Past
Holy smokes, that hotdog is almost bigger than your husband!
I love agricultural fairs, but these seem so different to the ones I’ve been to in Australia.
What I really want to know, though, is how you deep fry butter. Wouldn’t the butter melt? And you’d get a burning hot moutful of melted butter? It sounds dangerous to more than just your arteries!
Barbara recently posted..10 Toddler Foods In Langkawi
Ha, ha!! I agree the hot dog looks massive but my husband is obssesed with quality hot dogs and different sausages.
I believe the butter is really cold (almost frozen) when they fry it. Also, it has to be coated or breaded with something before it is fried. This is how deep fried ice cream is made. A ball of really hard ice cream is covered with corn flakes and then thrown in the deep fryer. A little bit of it melts but you end up pretty much with the big, original ball.
Ruth recently posted..Papillon Photos: Avalon, Catalina Island
I would totally be down for some chocolate covered bacon. But a corn dog? You can’t just dip everything in chocolate!!
Stephanie – The Travel Chica recently posted..Graffiti Art in Buenos Aires – Off the Beaten Path
I think I will take a bite of that chocolate covered bacon. There are some ice creams flavored with bacon bits.
OMG, what a lot of food. It all looks delicious though.
Thanks for sharing
InsideJourneys recently posted..Travel Photo Thursday – New York City
We have to go like three times to the Fair to eat all that!!!
Now I’m really disappointed that we didn’t make it to the county fair last week when we had a chance. Some of that food looks amazing! Of course it’s kind of offset by the deep fried butter. Thanks for the yummy pictures!
Steve recently posted..How’s Hotwire Working For You?
Steve,
You still have three days to attend. Today, Saturday and Sunday. If you can’t make it, remember that the Los Angeles County Fair is coming to Pomona soon.