It’s summer in America. And yet…
Where are the fireworks?
Where are the baseball games?
Where are the friend Twinkies?!
Though the esplanades, parks, and even fairgrounds may be closed, diehard fans of great American pastimes can get their fill of at last one part of an All-American Summer- and do so without ANY health risks!
In his new book, Fair Foods: The most popular and offbeat recipes from America’s state and county fairs, Cheesecake Bibleauthor George Geary goes WAY beyond the realm of his previous book to offer a compendium of classic carnival cakes, party portions, and festival foods. From fare faves like the caramel kettle corn, “grande” nachos (which can be sized according to the number of eaters and their apettites), and the potentially oxymoronic (but always delicious) “All-American” French Fries to the more outlandish offerings like bacon-wrapped potatoes (sorry- “taters”) with buttermilk dill sauce, maple bacon donuts, and ten-pound cheese buns, the award-winning chef, food educator teaches everyone about how to make some of their fair faves and even branch out into unknown gustatory galaxies, including (of course) an entire section on deep-fried foods that includes such drippy delights as candy bars, cola, and even butter (stick optional for those of you from MN). And these are just the warm-ups! For the “main event,” Geary rattles off recipes for Coney Island chili dogs, coconut-macadamia-crusted shrimp with honey pepper sauce, the deadly doubles of cheeseburger donuts and PB&J cheeseburgers, and the ever-popular BBQ turkey leg. No matter which food(s) you choose to make, what better to wash it all down with than a tall, cool glass of 1890’s lemonade (or “Adult” lemonade, a favorite of many fair fans who partake of the fairs with their families in tow).
And then (if you are still reading and not passed out just from looking at the amazing and authentic images of all the great fare fair), there is dessert! In this final section, Geary again runs the gamut from All-American apple pie (a patriotic summer staple even if you are not at the fair) and funnel cakes to make-at-home snow cones, the world’s gooiest cinnamon rolls, and, in a final proof that the bacon thing is still alive and well, even though some of its fans are not, chocolate-encased (not just covered, mind you!) bacon.
So while we all may miss the heat, crowds, noise, and costs of a realcounty fair (Wait a minute-), Geary’s latest gets us as close as we can without needing to park, pay, or puke (at least not in public).
Thanks for a great taste of summer, George!
(www.santamonicapress.com)