County fairs across the country are introducing new and exciting food options, blending global flavors with nostalgic twists. The Minnesota State Fair, for example, is featuring Filipino longanisa sausage and Wisconsin cheese curds deep-fried inside a lumpia wrapper, as well as bao buns stuffed with smoked pork belly and a strawberry ube sundae tart.
New Flavors and Old Fair Legends
The State Fair of Texas is also known for its over-the-top food, with classics like Fletcher’s Original Corny Dog and Fritos. This year’s Big Tex Choice Awards will feature new and innovative dishes, including fried Coke and deep-fried butter.
In Sacramento, the California State Fair is offering unique drinks, such as the nonalcoholic combination of soda, cream, and flavored syrup, known as dirty soda. The fair is also featuring viral flavors like Dubai chocolate coating on strawberries and soft serve.
Comfort Food is Trending
The nostalgia-driven mashups showing up at state fairs and food festivals are also trending in the restaurant industry. Operators are reworking familiar dishes with global ingredients and unexpected pairings, rather than inventing entirely new concepts.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
