It seems like every year, fair food is getting more and more creative. Whether it is a deep-fried-junk-food-on-junk-food or a previously seemingly inedible food, fair concessioners have been keeping our tummy’s on our toes! Read below to find out what you can expect to be eating at next year’s fair (or this year’s fall fair).
TRUE NORTH EATS’ LOBSTER BACON POUTINE (RICHMOND FAIR)
The most insane part about this surf-and-turf poutine is the sheer caloric-intake a person undergoes eating it. Not that calories ever hold us back from indulging in yummy fair foods, YOLO and YFIOOAY (Your Fair Is Only Once A Year), right? Did you see that sauce hiding in there, by the way? Yes, that is hollandaise. Start Googling True North Eats right now to find where their food trailer will show up next (Richmond Fair again, perhaps). Their cafe location in Ottawa is currently closed for repairs to their ventilation system.
Photo source: @jgingras4 (instagram)
CHEDDA’ HEAD’S POUTINE GRILLED CHEESE (WESTERNER DAYS) AKA SORRY NOT SORRY
Finally something every Canadian can agree upon: the only valid way a grilled cheese can be improved is to stick a poutine right-smack in the middle of it. Chedda’ Heads keep getting it right with sandwiches like this one, christened the “Sorry Not Sorry”. Their Grilled Cheeses are grilled, served up with a side of chips, and delivered to you at fairs across the country out of their truck. They recently popped up at the Westerner Days Fair, but can also be found at their location at Bower Ponds Recreation in Red Deer, Alberta.
Photo source: @cheddaheads (instagram)
MONSTER CONES’ “OGRECONE” ICE CREAM (STRATHMORE STAMPEDE)
You would not think that something named after Shrek would be so delicious, but Monster Cones “OgreCone” likewise is huge, layered and easy to love. Popping up at Strathmore Stampede, Monster Cones was a success, people trying (and likely failing) to conquer the monstrous ice cream cone by themselves. Our online advice to readers willing to take on this fair-food challenge, is to do so with two hands!
Photo source: @jaclynstang (instagram)
MELT TOWN CRICKET GRILLED CHEESE (QUEEN CITY EXHIBITION)
Can’t say no to extra protein? This cricket stuffed grilled cheese is for you. Melt Town serves up a variety of creative grilled cheeses, including this trendy item from their truck. Think you would never chow-down on this sandwich? Think again, crickets are becoming a popular health-food option, available even at boutiques and larger grocery stores across Canada. This sandwich was featured at many fairs including the Queen City Exhibition in Regina, SK.
Photo source: AM1380
COCO CONCESSIONS DEEP FRIED CHICKEN FEET (NORFOLK COUNTY FAIR)
Would you rather… eat the same-old-same-old fair food or, would you rather, take the leap and eat chicken feet? It certainly is not as bad as you are thinking, CoCo’s Concessioners make sure to fry their chicken feet in a tasty batter and remove the claws. Thanks guys! But, in all seriousness, if this is something you think you would do, check back at the Norfolk County Fair to see if they will pop up there in October.
Photo source: @norfolkcountyfair_ (instagram)
PEANUT BUTTER CUPBOARD’S DEEP-FRIED PB&J ON-A-STICK W/ DEEP-FRIED REESE’S (CALGARY STAMPEDE)
If you love peanut butter, you love Peanut Butter Cupboard, simple fact. The masterminds behind this kabob, took a classic PB&J and deep-fried it and then added some deep-fried Reese’s cups–just because science makes it possible. These guys were at the Calgary Stampede, K-Days Fair, and travel to other fairs on their food truck. Their truck contains exclusively peanut-butter themed treats, like the kabob or their “The Elvis” special.
Photo source: @pennyb_yyc
EVA’S ORIGINAL ICE CREAM IN A DOUGHNUT CONE (MARKHAM AND EAST YORK FAIR)
This seeming twist on two American classics, the doughnut and ice cream, is actually a Hungarian traditional pastry filled the sweet or savoury filling of your choice. Pictured above is the a pastry cone filled with soft-serve ice-cream, aptly named a “Chimney” by Eva’s Originals, but fair-goers can also choose a “chimney-dog” option, a hot-dog filled pastry. Eva’s Originals has appeared at Markham Fair, and can be found at fairs across Canada thanks to their food-trucks and their four Greater Toronto Area store locations. Fresh from Budapest!
Photo sources: 1) Eva’s original (website link above)
EAT MY BOWLS’ THANKSGIVING-IN-A-BOWL (ANCASTER FAIR)
Who would not want to eat these bowls? If we could bring Thanksgiving with us everywhere, I am sure many of us would. Eat My Bowls is making that possible from their food trucks at Ancaster Fair and other locations across Canada. The Thanksgiving-themed bread bowls contain sliced turkey, mashed potato, gravy, and are garnished with corn and a cherry tomato.
Photo source: @eat_my_bowls
BELJAM’S WAFFLES’ CHICKEN & WAFFLES IN-A-CONE (CLOVERDALE RODEO)
All we can say to this is, yes, yes and yes. Chicken, yep, waffles, yep, portable cone, yepppp. Beljam’s Waffles stunned Cloverdale Rodeo and travel to various fairs and events around Canada.
Photo source: @edmondtc (instagram)
FAMILY DOUGH’S COOKIE-DOUGH-STUFFED COTTON CANDY (WHOOP-UP-DAYS)
Cookie dough has barely been an safely edible thing for very long, but Family Dough is already serving up innovative and delicious treats like this cookie-dough-stuffed cotton candy at events like Whoop-Up Days across Canada and even the United States. That’s right, in addition to having trucks and store locations in both Edmonton and Calgary, they can also be found mobile in Phoenix, Arizona (in case you need your fix while on vacation). Their cookie dough is raw, safe and ready to eat.
Photo source: @exhibition_park_lethbridge
These are just some of the craziest foods you can try at Canadian fairs – what else have you seen this year? Comment below!