Try to imagine, if you dare, a hot dog stuffed inside a dill pickle, covered in panko and deep fried, with a drizzle of peanut butter.
That and many other culinary curiosities will be on the menu for the first time at the North Carolina State Fair . Organizers have released this year’s list of new fair foods , which will be among the deep fried, candy-coated smorgasborg from Oct. 17-27 .
This year’s list is studded with collisions from two great eating forces — fair food tradition and TikTok . You can thank those forces as you stroll through the fair sipping on pickle-flavored Dr. Pepper .
Other trends seem to include breaded bologna fries , pickles in just about every kind of situation and new plates of nachos .
Somehow, this year’s roster of fair foods even includes deep fried spaghetti .
Here’s our run-down of new fair foods for 2024.
Savory
▪ Barbecue Bacon Queso Sandwich from Lawrence & Perry BBQ, LLC : Eastern North Carolina-style smoked chopped pork BBQ, drizzled with queso and sauce and topped with bacon.
▪ Battered Bologna Fries from Granny’s Country Kitchen : Bologna sliced into long cut fries, battered and deep fried, served with Carolina gold dipping sauce.
▪ Buffalo Chicken Pizza Cone from Kono Pizza : Mozzarella, breaded chicken, Ranch dressing and buffalo sauce inside a cone of pizza crust. (Kono Pizza)
▪ Buffalo Mac Bowl from Safari Eatz: Sauteed collards, grilled buffalo chicken, mac and cheese, drizzled with buffalo sauce.
▪ Buffalo Oyster Mushroom Sandwich from Fresh AF Vegan : Fried oyster mushrooms, lettuce and tomato topped with buffalo sauce on a bun.
▪ Cowboy Bites from Fat Boys BBQ : Smoked white cheddar cheese mixed with Texas-style brisket and a shake of “Bobby’s Original Rub,” rolled in panko and deep fried.
▪ Crabcake Sammie from Fresh AF Vegan : Fried crabcake served on a bun with “AF sauce.”
▪ Crack Fries from GoldenKdog : Fries tossed in cheese seasoning with several dipping sauces
▪ Deep Fried Loaded Cheese Puffs from Chester’s Gator & Taters : Deep fried cheese puffs loaded with cheese, bacon, jalapenos and Ranch dressing.
▪ Deep Fried Ribs from Lawrence & Perry BBQ, LLC : Deep-fried baby back ribs hand-tossed in a variety of sauces, including BBQ sauce, lemon pepper, Carolina gold and sweet chili jerk.
▪ Fried Cheesy Croissant from LaFarm Bakery : Mini croissants fried and topped with cheddar cheese and jalapeno slices.
▪ Fried Fufu from Ethio-Ini Alkaline Cuisine: Fufu with a blend of seasoning and deep fried.
▪ Granddaddy Nats Fufu Plate from Ethio-Ini Alkaline Cuisine : A burger covered in gravy with gomen greens and fufu.
▪ Jerk Pork Belly Bao from Cool Runnings Jamaican : Jerk marinated pork belly in a bao bun with a vegetable mix.
▪ Kale Me Shawarma from Neomonde Mediterranean : Sweet potato fries topped with beef and lamb shawarma, pickled red onion, feta crumbles, kale chips and house-made beet barbecue sauce.
▪ Korean BBQ Kimchi Nachos from Bulkogi Korean BBQ : Nachos topped with chicken or beef Korean barbecue, corn, beans, kimchi, jalapenos, mozzarella and nacho cheese.
▪ Loaded Bologna Fries from Granny’s Country Kitchen : Bologna fries battered and fried and loaded up with chili cheese sauce.
▪ Mema Mia from Ezzell’s Something Good : Deep-fried spaghetti with meat sauce nestled on top of a garlic parmesan toasted hoagie bun with extra meat sauce and cheese topped with sweet southern slaw.
▪ Mexican Street Corn Nachos from Red Carpet Amusements : Nachos with cheese, corn, mayo, parmesan cheese and Tajin seasoning. Takis and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos also available as optional toppings.
▪ Mexican Street Corn Potato from Spudastic Potato : Baked potato stuffed with Mexican street corn topped with cilantro and lime.
▪ Monster Tots from Hot Chix Hotcakes & Chicken: Jumbo tater tots stuffed with either buffalo chicken or bacon cheddar and chive fillings.
▪ NC Crab and Shrimp Bomb from Waypoint Oyster Bar: A ball of cheesy N.C. blue crab meat and shrimp rolled in Flamin Hot Cheetos.
▪ Turducken Burger from Chick-N-Que : A blend of turkey, duck and chicken on a bun. (Chick-N-Que)
▪ Philly Chicken Egg Roll from Woody’s Wing Wagon : Based on a Philly Roll, but with chicken instead of steak.
▪ Philly Eggroll from Fresh AF Vegan : A vegan Philly eggroll served with vegan beef, onions, peppers and mushrooms wrapped in an eggroll and deep fried.
▪ Pineapple Bowl from Brazilian Bowls : Pineapple bowls with rice or fries, charcoal chicken, Brazilian steak, island shrimp, black beans and corn and many extra toppings.
▪ Red Velvet Glazed Funnel Cake Chicken Sandwich from Mediterranean Grill : Nashville-style chicken on a red velvet funnel cake bun with sweet syrup and hot sauce.
▪ Sausage & Peppers Egg Roll from Woody’s Wing Wagon : Italian sausage, cherry peppers, diced onion and cheese, wrapped in an egg roll wrapper and deep fried, then served with marinara sauce.
▪ Swedish Meat Pizza Cone from Kona Pizza : Cone of pizza crust filled with mozzarella, meatballs, cranberry sauce and gravy sauce.
▪ Sizzling Hot Funnel Cake from The Busy Beaver : Funnel cake with nacho cheese and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.
On-a-stick
▪ Alaskan King Crab Pop from Oak City Fish & Chips: Fried, seasoned Alaskan King Crab skewered and topped with half a lemon.
▪ Bacon Cheeseburger Corn Dog from Pioneer Wagon : Burger and cheddar cheese hand dipped in corn dog batter, topped with cheese and bacon.
▪ Big Bacon Wrapped in Cheese on a Stick from Bubba’s Bacon : Deep fried bacon and cheese on a and stick.
▪ Honey Butter Mozza Dog from GoldenKdog: Mozzarella cheese rolled in batter with panko then deep fried, drizzled with honey butter sauce.
▪ Trompi Al Pastor Stick from Las Gringas : Slow-roasted al pastor pork served on a stick meant to represent the spining trompo.
Pickles
▪ Chamoy Pickles from N&T Concession : Flavored pickles wrapped in Fruit Roll Ups and stuffed with a variety of fruit candy, sprinkles and Takis chips.
▪ Dilly Dog from Red Carpet Amusements: A large dill pickle stuffed with an all-beef hotdog, fried in panko batter and topped with optional peanut butter.
▪ Fried Pickle Mac & Cheese from Chester’s Gators & Taters : Mac & cheese mixed with fried pickle chips and a drizzle of Ranch dressing.
▪ Pickle Dr. Pepper from Red Carpet Amusements : It’s a cup of Dr. Pepper served with with dill pickle chips.
▪ Dill Delight Funnel Cake from The Busy Beaver : Funnel cake with powdered sugar, Ranch dressing and dill pickles.
▪ Sweet & Spicy Cheese Puff Fried Pickles from Chester’s Gators & Taters: Fried pickle chips drizzled in cheese sauce and topped with cheese puffs and a sweet & spicy sauce.
Drinks
▪ Aqua Loca from Just Popping Around : Lime juice, orange juice, tomato and grapefruit mixed together.
▪ Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Iced Tea from Tika Tea : Strawberry-flavored iced tea mixed with Hershey’s chocolate syrup and served with three hand-dipped chocolate strawberries.
▪ Glazed Donut Coffee Float from Fluffy’s Hand Cut Donuts : Donut-flavored iced coffee over creamy vanilla ice cream, topped with a golden glazed donut hole, and delicate glazed donut crumble rim.
▪ Mango Boba from Just Popping Round : Fruit mango tea with boba.
▪ Mangonada from Just Popping Around : The popular sweetened blend of mangoes and fruity Chamoy.
▪ Sweet Maple Bacon Iced Tea from Tika Tea : Sweet iced tea with maple syrup, maple bacon flavoring and served with strip of bacon.
▪ Pumpkin Spice Iced Tea from Tiki Tea : Sweet tea meets pumpkin spice.
▪ Summerween Slush from Moose Joose Slush : Orange Creamsicle slush served in a Jack-O-Lantern cup with whipped cream center, topped with a whole creamsicle popsicle, more whipped cream and orange cookie crumble.
Desserts
▪ Acai & Dragon Fruit Bowl from Brazillian Bowls : Acai bowl with fruit, including dragon fruit, bananas, strawberries and blueberries.
▪ Affogato from Magdelena’s Chimney Cakes : A shot of espresso poured over vanilla ice cream.
▪ Cake Parfaits from Cool Runnings Jamaican : Layered cakes served in jars.
▪ Candied Oatmeal Pies from The Candi Queen : Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pies covered with a candy coating.
▪ Carmel Apple Mini Cakes from Hot Chix Hotcakes & Chicken: Mini pancakes covered in apple pieces, caramel sauce and whipped cream.
▪ Chamoy Pineapples from N&T Concession : Flavored pineapple wrapped in Fruit Roll Ups and stuffed with a variety of fruit candy, sprinkles and Takis chips, then dipped in fruity Chamoy sauce and seasoned with Tajin.
▪ Cotton Candy Mini Cakes from Hot Chix Hotcakes & Chicken : Mini pancakes covered in whipped cream and cotton candy syrup.
▪ Deep Fried Cannoli from Fontana Foods : Here the traditional Italian dessert gets the fair food treatment.
▪ Fried Hazelnut Croissant from LaFarm Bakery: Mini fried croissants topped with hazelnuts.
▪ Minne Cookie Dough Pie from The Original Minneapple Pie : Deep-fried chocolate chip cookie dough served with a choice of vanilla or cinnamon ice cream.
▪ White Chocolate Cranberry Cooke Dough on a Stick from Kora’s Cookie Dough : Cinnamon swirl cookie dough mixed with white chocolate and dried cranberries.
▪ Peach Cobbler Pizza Cone from Kona Pizza : A cone of pizza crust filled with peaches with peach filling, cinnamon crumbles and topped with icing.
▪ Simba Dessert from Safari Eatz : Fried dough stuffed with apple filling and served with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.
▪ S’more Pizza Cone from Kono Pizza : A cone of pizza crust filled with s’mores ingredients, marshmallows graham cracker and chocolate.
▪ Strawberries & Cream Waffle Stick from Waffle Chix: Belgain waffle with strawberry shortcake cookie dough baked inside with whipped cream and a strawberry sauce.
▪ Strawberry Daiquiri Crunch from Boozie Bakes : Strawberry cake baked with white wine and topped with a strawberry shortcake crumble and a strawberry daiquiri drizzle.
▪ Strawberry Lemonade Donut from Fluffy’s Hand Cut Donuts : Doughnuts with lemon frosting and strawberry lemonade crumbles.
▪ Sweet Cheese Pie from Mediterranean Grill : A pancake stuffed with cheese and topped with syrup, pistachios and chocolate sauce.
▪ Tanghulu from The Candi Queen : A traditional Chinese snack with a crunchy, sweet exterior and a soft, tart interior, made with fruits like strawberries, grapes and oranges.
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