CLEARFIELD – It’s become a tradition for the Gant crew to check out what’s new with food at the fair. This year we decided to do something a little bit different, and check out some traditional fair food. Tuesday’s tasting team consisted of Donna Kilmer, Carolyn Merling, Christene Dahlem and Aaron T. Evans.
Steak on a Stick
This tasty delight comes from the vending stand of the same name, which has been at the fair for 30 years. Marinated sirloin tips are grilled and served up with peppers and onions. The team agreed that the steak was tender and flavorful. Christene said, “It’s in the marinade.”
Stromboli
The team decided to get our stromboli from Stromboli Land, which has been doing business at the fair for 29 years. They use their own sauce and dough to produce what the team describes as crispy and packed just right. Christene said it’s the best stromboli at the fair, while Carolyn said it’s built very well. Donna and Aaron both liked the sauce and texture of the shell.
Sweets
Everyone has their favorite sweet, whether it’s a deep fried Twinkie or a funnel cake. We decided to go with Plain-N-Fancy, which serves donuts and other sweet treats. They’ve been in operation for 42 years, and their most popular donut is the jumbo glazed donut, followed by the white cream and peanut butter. They do it the old fashioned way, with no preservatives, real eggs and real flower. We went with the jumbo glazed donut. Donna said it had ample glaze, while Christene, Aaron and Carolyn said it was soft and very good.
Fried Potatoes
Fried potatoes exist in a number of varieties at the fair, shaved like chips and piled with cheese and bacon, or the good old-fashioned French fry, to name a few. We went with French fries from Mabel’s, which has been in operation at the fair for 42 years. They go through roughly forty 50-pound bags of potatoes during fair week. The team split and order and did cheese and vinegar. “These aren’t your freezer fries,” said Carolyn. Indeed they are not.
Gyro
Oh yeah, the gyro! John the Greek has been carving up these bad boys for 30 years. During one day on average, John the Greek stands go through 10-15 cones of meat, which weigh about 30 pounds each. Their traditional gyro is their best seller, and that’s what the team went with. Aaron said it was a fair tradition. Christene said the sauce makes it while Carolyn liked the crispy meat. Donna was a fan of the bread.
Do you have a favorite fair food that you would like to share? Feel free to by leaving a comment on this story.