Deep Fried Piggy Mac Tacos, a Donut Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Bacon and the debut of the Surf & Turf Pierogi are among the new foods on this year’s lineup during the Best 12 Days of Summer.
It’s no surprise, in a region that loves to eat, that the number one reason why people attend the annual Erie County Fair is food. During the 12-days of the 2018 Fair, the Fairgrounds plays host to over 500 food items available at 125 food stands. This year’s bill-of-fare ranges from time-honored regional favorites to limited edition, deep fried novelty treats only found at the Fair.
New items have been added to the menu and are part of the Fair’s New Food Showdown. Fair food fans will again be able to vote for the “Best New Food at the Fair.” Voting will begin opening day August 8th and continue to August 14th. The winner will be announced on Thursday, August 16th. Past champions have included Mineo & Sapio’s Chorizo Ciabatta Sandwich (2015), Mark’s Pizza and Subs’ Deep Fried Bologna Bites (2016) and Babcia’s Pierogi’s Crab Stuffed Mushroom Pierogi (2017).
Along with the “fairgoer’s vote,” for the new food of the Fair, 2018 will see the inauguration of a new element to the “showdown. On Thursday, August 9th at 11:30am, a panel of guest judges will provide their own take on the Fair’s food innovations. The panel will consist of culinary professionals from the Niagara Falls Niagara Culinary Institute, SUNY Erie’s Culinary Arts Program, Delaware North along with media judges including Spectrum News’s, Alex Haight, WGRZ’s Kate Welshofer, WBEN’s Brian Mazurowski, WKBW’s Mike Randall, Business First’s Jim Fink, WIVB’s Angela Christoforos and WECK‘s Steve Cichon.
This year’s “New Food Showdown” will not disappoint Fairgoers with a sense of culinary adventure. Highlights include:
- Deep Fried Piggy Mac Taco, Jim’s Taco, Trackside. Pulled pork, macaroni & cheese, coleslaw all inside a taco shell then deep fried. (G7)
- Donut Grilled Cheese with Bacon, The Big Cheese near Creative Arts Building. Cheddar & American cheese with bacon grilled on a glazed donut for a delicious combination (J10)
- Garlic Parmesan Corn on the Cob, The Crafted Cob near Creative Arts Building. Corn on the cob with garlic butter and parmesan cheese (J10)
- Apple Quesadilla, Jacks Delicious Fries on Broadway. Apple quesadilla dipped in butter, deep fried, topped with confectionary sugar & drizzled with icing. (L7)
- Cookie Dough Extreme, 4 Dogs Dessert on Slade Park, Homemade edible cookie dough, Chocolate Chip, Cake Batter, Oreo or Surprise Flavor (I6)
- Sweeter Than Sweet Tots, Fun Time Foods on Broadway. Sweet potato tater tots with marsh mellow fluff and a drizzle of maple syrup (K6)
- Surf & Turf Pierogi, Babcia’s Pierogi on Trackside. Shaved beef, mushroom, and onion filled pierogi, topped with grilled garlic shrimp & basil parmesan sauce. (H7)
- Cowboy Nachos, Big G’s Food Service on Trackside. Chips, cheese, chili, beans, salsa, lettuce, sour cream, jalapenos (G7)
- Loganberry Sundae, Dippin Dots on Avenue of Flags. Loganberry syrup, white chocolate syrup and whipped cream (K9)
- The Dirty Bird, Mineo & Sapio on Broadway. Chicken Italian sausage patties with BBQ glaze, caramelized, onion, cheddar cheese & Asian slaw served on grilled ciabatta (J7)
2018 marks the 3rd year of the Erie County Fair’s participation in the Independent Health Foundation’s Healthy Options program. Participating restaurants have signed on to offer a healthy menu item that has been approved by the Independent Health Foundation.
Growing each year in popularity, the “Taste of Fair” Food Festival will return on Monday, August 13th. Fair vendors will feature over 125 “taste” sized portions for only $2. Alongside traditional Fair foods like Italian sausage and cotton candy, the Taste of the Fair’s menu includes stuffed banana peppers from Antone’s and Deep Fried Mac & Cheese from Diventuri. A complete listing of items and locations will be available on the Fair’s website, mobile app and on menus located at Fair gates the day of the event.
The Fair’s culinary arts center, the “Erie County Fair Cooks! Kitchen & Shoppe,” will continue to highlight regionally sourced and grown products, promote easy to cook at home meal options and to expose Fairgoers to Western New York’s dynamic culinary scene. Over 70 demonstrations have been schedule to take place during the 12-days of the fair. Highlights include the return of Howard Rosenthal of Mr. Food’s Test Kitchen (August 14) and Arthur Bovino, author of Buffalo Everything: A Guide to Eating in the Nickel City (August 18 & 19). The Fair is also proud to partner with the Niagara Falls Niagara Culinary Institute, SUNY Erie’s Culinary Arts Program and the Tops Cooking School on a series of demonstrations.
Adult fairgoers will be able to wash down all their Fair food with one of two limited edition beers. A Vienna Lager, the “Best of Show” winner during the Erie County Fair’s 2018 Home Brew Competition and an American Pale Ale based on the 2015 championship beer will be available at the Fair’s beer gardens. Both beers were brewed by Buffalo’s Flying Bison Brewing Company.
The Erie County Fair will partner with the Food Bank of WNY to help fill their warehouse with canned goods. Fairgoers will gain FREE admission to the Fair on Opening Day, Wednesday, August 8th with the donation of a canned food. Donations will be accepted at all Fair gates beginning at Noon.
Following the conclusion of the 179th Fair, on Tuesday, September 18th, the Fair will celebrate “National Birth of the Burger Day.” The day has been set aside to commemorate the invention of the hamburger sandwich that took place during the 1885 Erie County Fair by Frank and Charles Menches of Canton, Ohio. During the Fair, Weidner’s BBQ located on the Avenue of Flags will feature their culinary tribute to the birth of America’s favorite sandwich with the “1885 Burger.”
