fried food at the fair
Billings, Montana

Heading to the Montana Fair for my first rodeo I had heard so much about all the crazy deep fried food at the fair I saw it as a challenge.

 

I will eat all of it.

 

It was a very ambitious undertaking and I only had an hour to find all of it before the rodeo started but I was determined to have the ultimate fair experience. To top it off, as a Canadian I have never had a Twinkie so it would be my dessert.

You may think it is strange I have never had a Twinkie as I have eaten a lot of strange things, I have also never eaten a corn dog – go figure.

 

deep fried cheese curds

I started off with deep fried cheese curds with marinara sauce. While I have eaten cheese curds plenty of times on poutine I had never heard of this but I was down for deep fried cheese.

I also learned here that the fair employees are quite friendly and not looking for long-term relationships. The guy taking my order asked me to go out after his shift and when I explained I was visiting and only here for the night he didn’t seem to have a problem with that.

Moving on…

deep fried food

It was time for something sweet and the Girl Scouts had a stand with deep fried Oreos, peaches and mac and cheese. I was so tempted by the mac and cheese but I went for the sweet.

The Oreos were a massive sugar injection – deep frying them made them soft and sweet. I didn’t need the tub of icing to dip them in and not surprisingly I had a burst of energy. The peaches were surprisingly delicious with a really light batter and covered in cream,

 

viking on a stick

It was time to move onto Montana Fair’s most famous dish and one that had a very long line – the viking on a stick. It is like a big meat ball on a stick that has been battered and deep fried.  It was surprisingly good and I can see what it is so popular.

 

deep fried snickers

Next door were deep fried Snickers candy bars and I figured why not. When I was asked if I wanted chocolate drizzled on it figured it made perfect sense, chocolate on chocolate?

But then the bad news came. It was time for the rodeo to start.

Of all of the food at the fair I needed to get the deep fried Twinkie but I made a rookie mistake and said I would get it later. But we all know later means never. Half way through the rodeo I had a sugar crash, had to buy a Coke so I would not fall asleep. When the rodeo ended the idea of eating anything deep fried seemed repulse.

So instead I had a candy apple and called it a night. 

 

 

Disclosure: I was a guest of Visit Montana. They did not request I write a favourable review or encourage this first step on the road to obesity and diabetes.

 

 

 

 

 

30 Comments

  1. Gregory on the October 12, 2012 remarked #

    Ew.

  2. Jane on the October 12, 2012 remarked #

    If you grew up in BC, you could have had Twinkies and Ding Dongs!

  3. Chrystal McKay on the October 12, 2012 remarked #

    The peaches sound nice but the rest I would skip. I don’t think even me with my gigantic sweet tooth could handle this!
    Chrystal McKay recently posted..Ruins Galore: Free Walking Tour of Athens

  4. Steph on the October 12, 2012 remarked #

    That’s awesome! I’m so jealous you got to go to Montana- it’ such a beautiful state!

  5. Cassie on the October 12, 2012 remarked #

    The deep fried cheese curd and Oreos sound awesome (I think my arteries are clogging just thinking about them)! And I tried the deep fried Twinkie once at a rural fair… you’re not missing much!
    Cassie recently posted..On Ciclovias, or “Open Streets”: Check us out at Go Green Travel Green!

  6. Cathy Sweeney on the October 12, 2012 remarked #

    I had deep fried Oreos at the Houston Rodeo in March. They were awesome — so different from what I expected. I’m not so sure I’d try that viking on a stick thing.
    Cathy Sweeney recently posted..Featured Museum: A Dalinian Experience

  7. Annette | Bucket List Journey on the October 12, 2012 remarked #

    The Oreos sound divine, but the gigantic fried meatball on a stick would be the one this Italian would gravitate towards!
    Annette | Bucket List Journey recently posted..A Dinner for the Adventurous Eater: Pigeon, Heart & Cheeks

  8. Krista on the October 12, 2012 remarked #

    Oh my word. :-) You must have been GLUTTED after all that! I’d totally go for the peaches – they sound really good. :-)
    Krista recently posted..A Stormy Boat Ride Near Amsterdam

    • Gregory on the October 12, 2012 remarked #

      GLUTTED and GLUTENED!

  9. Amanda on the October 12, 2012 remarked #

    I always treat myself to a gorge of deep-fried food once a year – at the huge county fair near where my parents live.

    This year I had deep-fried oreos (the BEST), deep-friend banana pudding (the bananas were fried, not the pudding…), and deep-fried peanut butter and jelly (yes, it’s a real thing).
    Amanda recently posted..The Two Sides of Alcatraz

  10. Candice on the October 12, 2012 remarked #

    I give you props for managing to eat all that you did. I tried a deep fried cheeseburger a few month ago, and even after two bites I felt sick!

  11. Ava Apollo on the October 13, 2012 remarked #

    Mmmm. I REALLY love deep fried oreos.
    Ava Apollo recently posted..Wednesday Getaway: Angkor Wat

  12. Sally on the October 13, 2012 remarked #

    I’m not much of a Twinkie fan, but I had deep-fried Twinkies a few years ago at my local county fair and I have to say deep-frying it definitely made it better. But, you know, I think that’s kind of a given. I mean, deep-frying makes everything better!
    And now I really want deep-fried cheese curds.
    Sally recently posted..What’s Next?

  13. Tom @ Waegook Tom on the October 13, 2012 remarked #

    Here I was thinking that the folks in Scotland had the monopoly in this niche market with their deep fried Mars Bars, but damn, Montana has them beat! Deep fried peaches sound strangely appealing, and the cheese? Awww yeah.

    I’d have married the guy. I mean…he sells deep fried cheese for a living.

    Or I’d have just had the one night stand and woken up smelling like cheddar and regret.

    Probably the latter. I’m glad you didn’t take that date! ;)
    Tom @ Waegook Tom recently posted..10 Chinese Foods You Should Try (But Probably Haven’t)

  14. Chompchomp on the October 14, 2012 remarked #

    Holy moly how are you not the size of a house?! You have a very lucky metabolism!
    Chompchomp recently posted..Celebrating my blogiversary at Duende, Leederville

  15. Arianwen on the October 14, 2012 remarked #

    Jesus! That is impressive! And I lived in Scotland for 4 years, where deep frying Mars bars and Haggis was the norm! I’m in Cusco. I might have to head out now to find a deep fried guinea pig!
    Arianwen recently posted..Otavalo market: an 8-hour round trip to buy a bag!

  16. Thomas S. Moore on the October 15, 2012 remarked #

    Great photos of the food, and all you did was make me hungry and remind me of being home. Sadly its Monday morning, I’m at work, didn’t have breakfast and now this. My son loves the Twinkies and Snickers deep fried. I can’t believe you never a had a corn dog before.

  17. Maris King on the October 15, 2012 remarked #

    Delicious foods in fairness. They all look tasty, I want to taste one of the, especially the one that is on the stick.

  18. Roamingtheworld on the October 16, 2012 remarked #

    I’ve never had a twinkie and a deep fried one doesn’t interest me either.
    HOw did you feel the next day? Eck.

    Sugar and fat tastes delicious when you’re eating it, but the after effects are usually not great.
    Roamingtheworld recently posted..In the Classroom: Name it, write it, read it

  19. Mark Wiens on the October 16, 2012 remarked #

    Haha, wow, that’s some serious deep fried-ness. I have had corn dogs, but I don’t think I’ve ever had a Twinkie either!
    Mark Wiens recently posted..Nasi Lemak – Creamy Rice, Heaven in Your Mouth

  20. Emily in Chile on the October 17, 2012 remarked #

    I am a little disgusted by what I’m about to say, but everything you tried sounds good! I really am worried about what that says about me…
    Emily in Chile recently posted..Our Havana tour

  21. Natalie T. on the October 17, 2012 remarked #

    Ok, I’m going to try commenting hoping I don’t get the rest of the comments in my email. Gosh woman, that is SO much sugar. Here I was hoping you’d try the mac n cheese. :)

  22. Andrea on the October 19, 2012 remarked #

    This is all making me super homesick for the States…I love fried food though I can’t eat as much of it as I used to be able to without feeling a little sick…
    Andrea recently posted..Modern Meets Medieval At the Merchant’s House Hotel in Tallinn

  23. Gerard ~ GQ trippin on the October 22, 2012 remarked #

    I would have no shame scarfing down those deep fried goodies!
    Gerard ~ GQ trippin recently posted..Food Battle: Shabu Shabu vs Sukiyaki

  24. Rachel on the November 1, 2012 remarked #

    Deep fried oreos are so good! I would eat all of these things, yum.

    • Ayngelina on the November 10, 2012 remarked #

      They are delicious, but oh so sweet I could only eat one.

  25. Kate on the November 1, 2012 remarked #

    AYNGELINA!!!!!! How have you never had a corn dog?!!!!

    • Ayngelina on the November 10, 2012 remarked #

      I know, crazy right?

  26. Torre – Fearful Adventurer on the November 2, 2012 remarked #

    Deep fried foods are my weakness. That, and beer. Deep fried foods WITH beer? Now we’re talking.
    Torre – Fearful Adventurer recently posted..Are you feeling ready to begin?

    • Ayngelina on the November 10, 2012 remarked #

      And nachos? Yes!

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