Taking a semester abroad is the perfect occasion to practice a language, learn about another culture and experience a new country just like the locals. What’s a better place to immerse yourself into the tradition of American food and entertainment than the state fair?
Not only was the whole fair so much bigger than expected, but the list of food options was endless. It would have been impossible to try everything in just one night.
The wonderland of deep-fried food, the state fair rule is seemingly anything that is edible can also be deep fried. An onion? Sure. Snickers bar? Of course. There is no limit to what these food trucks can accomplish with a few gallons of burning oil.
Pairing is another culinary rule that doesn’t exist on state fair soil. While Italian cuisine is strict about what goes with what, the state fair cooks are kitchen daredevils to whom rules don’t apply.
I started my culinary experience with a churro dog: a classic hot-dog sausage covered in unsweetened churro dough, covered with melted cheese, ketchup and bacon bits. It was a great start and everything a foreigner would expect from American food.
Deep fried Oreos are a state fair staple I had to try — and they were actually pretty good. They tasted like mini donuts with a smidge of Oreo flavor drowning in fried dough. Of course, no American dessert can stand the fight against Italian tiramisù.
In my limited knowledge, I thought popcorn had very finite variants, and that chocolate and caramel were two of the most extravagant options. Oh was I wrong. I was introduced to kettle corn and the many flavors they come in. Jalapeño kettle corn took me less than a couple of seconds to start coughing and regretting my decision. It felt like having a spoonful of jalapeño powder and I could barely taste the corn. I wouldn’t recommend it.
When it comes to drinks, I’m conservative in my soda choices and always go for the classics. But when I heard that Cheerwine was a drink native to North Carolina, I had to try it. I was happy to only have gotten a sip and not a full can. Just like Dr. Pepper, it’s too sweet for my Coke Zero taste buds. Cherries should just stay fruit and not be turned into carbonated beverages.
Then it was time for more dessert and red velvet funnel cake was a whole experience. I had heard of funnel cake before and I love anything red velvet, so it seemed like a match made in heaven. Made for bigger stomachs than mine, it was so much that I had to share it and ended up struggling to finish my quarter. The red velvet flavor was good for the first couple of bites, but became boring and way too sugary half-way through. Deep fried Oreos definitely won my Best State Fair dessert award.
Milk and cookies was the ideal combination to bring the evening to an end, with the perk of getting a cute bucket to transport them back home. They were warm and soft, and even though I prefer the crunchy version, nothing like a staple of American cuisine can better bring the circle to a close.
Luckily, no stomach ache hit me after the unhealthiest meal of my life. And while American food is not my favorite and I’m nostalgic for home, the North Carolina State Fair culinary experience was definitely one worth trying. North Carolinians know how to have fun.
