This past weekend, I was introduced to a true piece of Americana in my new home of Raleigh, and that was the NC State Fair.
I grew up going to our little Garland County Fair in Hot Springs, Arkansas. I have fond memories of watching mutton’ bustin’, eating kettle corn and looking through the little cages of bunnies and chicks.
Honestly, I didn’t know if we were ever going to make it to the NC State Fair because of all the traffic (and this was early afternoon on Saturday), but we did and there was so much to explore inside.
I loved seeing all of the signs, colors, sights and pieces of North Carolina around every corner. I was also surprised by how many tasty treats there were, and, no, I’m not even talking about the deep fried kind.
Some of my culinary highlights were:
Country Ham Biscuit
I enjoyed this salty, savory piece of the South for my lunch, and supported a local church while I was at it, too. This was one of the cheapest options around at $1.75 per biscuit.
Fries from Al’s
I’m glad that my brother-in-law and sister got some of these because they were hot, fresh-made fries.
Produce at the Agriculture Today Exhibit
This was a neat exhibit to see because it featured some of the best, biggest and weirdest pieces of produce grown in NC. There was a 1,400-lb. pumpkin on display, along with bees making honey and peppers and veggies of all types!
Howling Cow Ice Cream Stand
This was one of our last stops (and we had to stand in line awhile to get it), and it was so worth it! This ice cream is made from milk from local NC State cows and it comes in both classic and creative flavors. I sampled (ok- I ate more than just a sample of) Robert’s Raspberry, and it was a light blend of raspberry flavor and chocolate chunks.
My husband and bro-in-law also had polish sausage from a stand and said it was quite delicious. Oh, and you must stand by a fence near or buy tickets to the tractor pulling. What a fascinating (and loud) thing to watch.
Here’s to the good ole South and state fairs!