More fare from the fair

The 2008 New York State Fair ended yesterday, leaving a nice aftertaste in my mouth. I made a second trip to the fairgrounds in Syracuse to try a few more foods. So if you're finding yourself getting indigestion from fair fare withdrawal, check out these review snippets.



$1 baked potato
5/5 sporks

Snuggled in the back corner of the horticulture building is one of the true gems of the fair: a stand selling $1 baked potatoes. You choose which toppings garnish your spud, making a delicious tater that matches your taste. I went with butter, sour cream and shredded cheese. My potato was piping hot and baked to perfection -- soft but not dried out.

Roasted corn on the cob
4/5 sporks
These ears are roasted while still in their husks, keeping in all sorts of moisture and sweetcorn flavor. These $3 ears are peeled and can be dunked in a vat of melted butter before they're handed to you. The only downside to corn on the cob is that it can get caught in your teeth.

Beer battered chicken sandwich
3/5 sporks
Plenty of crispy golden battering is sandwiched between two hearty pieces of bun, a nice piece of lettuce and an absolutely monstrous slice of tomato. Unfortunately, there isn't much chicken sandwiched between that breading. The $5 item still tastes good, but it could be called a "beer batter sandwich" just as easily.

All the fair food was pretty good. Just thinking about it has my heart burning for some more. But the smorgasbord of vendors won't be back for another year. That's probably a good thing -- my bank account needs the time to climb back up, and my cholesterol needs the time to fall back down.