How good is the fair food?
Published 9:59 am Friday, August 3, 2012
Editor’s note: Tribune interns Kessa Albright and Colleen Thompson went on a mission of tasting food at the Freeborn County Fair.
By Colleen Thompson and Kessa Albright, staff interns
One of the things everyone associates with fairs is the distinct food that comes along with it. Corn dogs, cotton candy and snow cones are all over, but we walked all over the fair searching for the most unusual foods to review. We stumbled across many strange foods but decided on five as to not break our bank.
Nitro ice cream
A cup of Nitro Ice Cream filled to the brim and overflowing with sprinkles, oreos and Reese’s Pieces. -- Kessa Albright/Albert Lea Tribune
5 out of 5 stars
• Vanilla flavored.
• Topped with Oreos, Reese’s and sprinkles (other toppings available; $1 extra for 3 toppings).
• Tastes similar to Culver’s frozen custard.
• Light, airy.
• Made with liquid nitrogen.
• $4 (with toppings).
• In the Commercial Exhibits Building.
Deep-fried Snickers
The deep-fried Snickers cut in half to show the gooey chocolate, peanut and nougat filling.
2 out of 5 stars
• Chocolate, peanuts and caramel with a crispy breaded coating.
• Gooey.
• Users’ advice: “Just try it to say you did!”
• $4.50.
• At Auntie L’s Deep Fried Oreos stand.
Fresh-squeezed Lemonade
A cup of freshly-squeezed lemonade by Blair Nelson.
3 out of 5 stars
• Made on the spot.
• Yellow as the morning sun.
• Sweet.
• A half lemon can be found at the bottom of the cup, so it’s like paying for a lemonade and getting half a lemon, too.
• $3.75.
• At the Blair Nelson stand by the Grandstand.
Garlic cheese curds
Colleen Thompson reaches for a garlic cheese curd with the grease shining in the sunlight.
4 out of 5 stars
• Sodium-filled.
• Golden and plump.
• The sun reflected off the shiny grease.
• Will satisfy your appetite half way through the serving.
• $6.
• Next to Tysk Concessions.
Kettle corn
Alex VanVooren hands us our kettle corn at the Knights of Columbus stand.
5 out of 5 stars
• Various prices depending on size, some are $3 or $5.
• Addictive.
• Crunchy.
• Combination of salty and sweet.
• Caution: Popcorn is very smashable. Do not hold tightly against your chest.
• At the Knights of Columbus stand, across from the Ring Toss.
