Everyone knows that the main draw for the Wisconsin State Fair (which this year runs August 3-13) is the food. Everything else you can do there, from browsing rows of cow rumps to actively avoiding eye contact with the kitchen gadget sellers, only serves to fill time between bites.
The State Fair people know this, of course, and encourage the food vendors to invent crazier stuff each year. So, which new items are worth the trip to Milwaukee, and which are just plain confusing? Let’s evaluate.
Three little pigs ravioli from Brew City
Brew City is well known for coming up with a different, insane bacon-related thing each year, because bacon is still trendy among brosefs, I guess. This year, they made “ravioli,” which is bacon weave squares filled with a mashup of other pork products and cheese. Having had some of these bacon creations in the past, I can definitively say that they always sound better than they taste.
Verdict: Skip. It’s a gimmick.
Buffalo mac and cheese quesadilla from Mexican Grill
Pour buffalo sauce on almost anything and I love it. Add cheese, mac, chicken and crushed Doritos — I repeat, crushed Doritos — and shove it in a grilled quesadilla and I’m fully on board.
Verdict: Eat. It’s almost like Ian’s Macadilla Killa, but with Doritos.
Bowtie, basil and balls walking pasta from Pitch’s and Miss Katie’s
Doesn’t a name like that just make you want to try it? No? Me either. But if you’re curious, it’s mini meatballs skewered on toothpicks with basil and one lone piece of pasta.
Verdict: Skip. One piece of pasta? Get out.
Great ball of fire sandwich from Rupena’s
Balls seems to be a theme this year. The balls in question here are stuffing balls, which are plopped on top of pulled pork, creamy slaw, garlic sour cream sauce and a Hungarian sausage. That’s too much creamy saucy stuff, guys. Why are the stuffing balls even there?
Verdict: Skip. Grab a regular Hungarian sausage instead; they’re delicious.
Deep fried grilled cheese sandwich bites from Tropics at the Fair
These have real potential. Deep fried bread, cheese and thick tomato soup for dipping. Sometimes simple and unique is best, even at the fair.
Verdict: Eat.
Cinna dog from 3B Corn Dogs
“Savory meets sweet in this corn dog rolled in cinnamon sugar.” NOPE.
Verdict: Skip. This is just laziness.
Monkey business from Saz’s BBQ
A deep fried dessert burrito filled with caramelized banana, bacon jam and peanut butter, then topped with honey and chipotle cinnamon sugar. If that doesn’t sound good, I don’t want to be your friend.
Verdict: Eat. (Even if they should have named it some riff on Elvis’ balls.)
Pretzel-wrapped brat from Gertrude’s Fresh Pretzels
This thing is pure Wisconsin. A Johnsonville brat-on-a-stick is wrapped in pretzel dough and deep fried. Then it’s brushed with melted butter and served with either cheese sauce or mustard for dipping.
Verdict: Eat. You can’t get much more Wisconsin State Fair than this without a cream puff.
Comments