Oklahoma forecast includes Fair amount of rain
Fried, bacon-wrapped and stick-stuck food to storm through the 405 diningscape
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls it’s that time again: The rain is coming. (In fact, it got here a couple days early.) That’s because the Oklahoma State Fair begins on Thursday for 10 days of games, rides and munching on food that’s either been fried, wrapped in bacon or skewered – preferably all three.
For the first time in a long time, I’m not going out to gorge on a selection of foods ahead of the fair, but I will be a judge in the Creative Arts building on opening day and on the final Saturday. If you’re interested in salad, come out for the Spectacular Salads Contest on Thursday at 2 p.m. J Mays of Killer Squid Hospitality and I judge four kinds of salad, including fruit salad, pasta salad, veggie salad and one with a protein. Each category cashes and ribbons three contestants. Check in is between 1:15 and 1:45 p.m. for those competing.
A week from Saturday, I’ll be among a host of judges for the Made in Oklahoma Coalition’s Oklahoma Pride Cooking Contest. This contest will include awards for best appetizer, main dish and dessert using Made in Oklahoma products. Top 5 in each will receive cash and ribbon.
If all that’s made you hungry, or just the thought of smoking turkey legs has you longing for a trip to the State Fairgrounds, here is a list of this year’s newest additions to the Oklahoma State Fair menu in 2023.
Korean Corndogs, Chan’s Eatery – They’re half hot dog,half mozzarella cheese and completely batter-fried.
Meat Candy On-A-Stick, B-Rays BBQ – Smoked burnt ends stacked on a stick, glazed with BBQ sauce, and sprinkled with graham cracker crust.
Pickle Pie, Cutie Pies – A savory pie with a buttery cracker crust filled with a pickle pie filling, topped-off with crackers, mini carrots, cucumber chips, and more pickles.
Cookie Dough Parfait, Cookie Dough Monsters – Layers of edible chocolate chip cookie dough, chocolate pudding, and Oreo crumbles, topped with silky whipped cream.
Country Clucker, FryDay Concessions – A warm glazed doughnut topped with a deep-fried Cajun chicken thigh, then drizzled with honey butter.
Mochi Donut, Chan’s Eatery – A hybrid sweet treat that combines the flavor of traditional American donuts with the fluffy, moist, and chewy texture of Japanese mochi.
MinneCookieDough Pie, The Original MinneApple Pie – Homemade chocolate chip cookie dough in a flaky pie crust that is deep-fried and dusted with powdered sugar. Served with a choice of vanilla or cinnamon ice cream.
Deep-Fried Caramel Apple Cow Tale, Pioneer Wagon – A caramel apple Cow Tale candy on a stick, deep-fried in a sweet corn batter, dusted with powdered sugar, and drizzled with caramel syrup.
Texas Sized Donuts, FryDay Concessions – A made-from-scratch, yeast raised, glazed Texas-sized donut.
Paletas, Pour & Co. – Mexican style frozen treats in flavors such as coffee with almonds, pistachio, mangonada, watermelon, and caramel.
Freeze Dried Jolly Rancher Cotton Candy, Grams Sweet Treats – Classic Jolly Rancher flavors transformed into melt-in-your-mouth cotton candy.
Piña Colada Palmer, A Latte Love – A layered cup of A Latte Love’s award-winning Piña Colada Lemonade, topped-off with their signature Brown Sugar Sweet Tea.
Strawberry Fields, Diventuri Concessions – A refreshing jasmine green tea mixed with strawberry syrup and
Barbie Lemonade, Gringos & The Bacon Habit – A fresh and fruity lemonade served with a slice of lemon, sprig of mint, and a sugared rim.
Jalapeño Cheddar Corndogs, Lakeside Concessions – A classic Fair corndog enhanced with spicy jalapeño flavor and cheesy goodness.
Cookie Dough Explosion, The Funky Flamingo – A homemade chocolate chip cookie topped with salted caramel ice cream, two scoops of cookie dough, hot fudge, caramel, whipped cream, and Oreos.
Fruity Pebble Flurrie, The Funky Flamingo – Vanilla ice cream and Fruity Pebble cereal blended into a sweet, creamy, crunchy treat.
Cotton Candy Avalanche, The Funky Flamingo – A pink cotton candy frozen drink topped with blue cotton candy ice cream.
Oreo Brownie Blast, Waffle Chix – A sweet Belgian waffle with a chocolate brownie center, topped with a white chocolate drizzle and Oreo crumbles.
Ultimate Champ Dog, Champions BBQ – A smoked gouda and green hatch chili pork and beef sausage topped with chopped brisket, hatch mac and cheese, fried onions, and BBQ sauce, all layered on an artisan roll.
Chicken Honey Waffle, Chicken Coop – A warm waffle topped with fried chicken and drizzled with honey and a special pecan sauce.
Pepperoni Crepe, G3Concessions – A hand-crafted crepe filled with your favorite pizza flavors.
Chocolate Mousse Crepe, G3Concessions – A hand-crafted crepe filled with silky chocolate mousse and toppings.
Bread Pudding, B-Rays BBQ – Made with bread and a sweet and smooth custard, flavored with Mom’s spice recipe.
Cotton Candy Lemonade, Porky’s Dole Whip – A sweet and refreshing lemonade made with real cotton candy.
Dole Cano, Porky’s Dole Whip – Fresh pineapple slices topped with Dole Whip and a strawberry lava sauce.
Sliced Watermelon, Rush Springs Watermelon – Juicy and sweet locally grown watermelon.
Candied Bacon On-A-Stick, Champions BBQ – Delicious, savory bacon, enhanced with a sweet coating.
Follow me on social media for live photos from the opening day of the Fair. Look for another update Thursday evening, and my review of season 2 of The Bear this weekend.