The sprawling Wisconsin State Fairgrounds bring throngs of visitors from throughout the great Cheese State on a yearly basis, usually during the hottest weeks of summer which can make the entire experience more feel more overwhelming than it already is.
The culinary gems that it offers up are many in quantity and variation. Certainly one can peruse the traditional mobile fry stalls with the usual foot-long corn dogs, funnel cakes, fresh cut french fries, and battered cheese curds that line the main walkways. However a small detour into some of the side stalls, barns and show rooms can lead to several good eats that are unique to the Wisconsin culture.
For instance, the seemingly endless line that leads to the giant cream puffs. When you first look at this line it can be a bit daunting, as it appears longer than the normal wait at a popular Walt Disney World ride, but the people who goad the throngs through to their eventual fluffy heart-stopping sweet delights are true professionals and you might have to wait five minutes at most to get to that first rich and creamy mouthful.
In the food hall you can find the second longest line at the baked potato outlet. Potatoes can be loaded up with butter, sour cream, cheese, chili, salsa and chives. Or for the vegetable purists, there are several stands offering fire-roasted corn on the cob; don't forget plenty of butter salt and pepper.
A delicious offering for meat lovers can also be found in the food hall; a local brasserie offers up a roasted lamb sandwich with home-made demi glaze sauce. The lamb is roasted with accents of garlic, rosemary and and other herbs. It's very succulent and flavorful!
A state fair would not be complete without food on a stick and the most original variation on this theme is the pork chop "on a stick." The stick is actually the rib bone which is frenched in order to create a handy grabbing utensil. These are offered with a variety of sauces including a very zesty mustard that really made the swine offering sing.
Being based next to the great beer town of Milwaukee lends itself to plenty of mugs of suds at the fair, the ubiquitous Miller and the many variations of Leinenkugel along with several microbreweries will help you wash down the many delicious snacks you can grab, and chew as you walk.
If the State Fair is a celebration of everything that is good about Wisconsin then the epicurean variations of this great state are certainly well represented.
For more information: Wisconsin State Fair
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