Take a taste of the wild side at the California State Fair. Here are 4 items to try
All the typical fair foods — from chocolate-covered frozen bananas to deep-fried Oreos — are available for sale by California State Fair food vendors this year, but The Sacramento Bee sought the top four wackiest foods and drinks during the fair’s opening day.
The California State Fair runs through July 30 and fairgoers have the option to purchase a food festival pass for $34, which earns them four food festival tickets. These tickets can be exchanged at any of the participating food vendors on the Cal Expo grounds — you can find the complete list on the food festival map, which showcases fare entered in the Food and Festival Competition.
Note: Some of these foods and drinks may not be eligible for the food festival pass.
Machete-fresh coconuts drink and dessert
The coconuts sold out of this 1960s van-turned-coconut stand are packed on ice, kept whole until a customer purchases one. With the use of a machete, these coconuts are split on top and served with a straw and a mini tropical umbrella. The resulting taste of these raw, natural coconuts is quite refreshing, especially for fairgoers walking around in triple-digit weather, and has a slightly nutty taste.
Each coconut is $12, and customers can buy two for $20. After the customer is finished drinking the juice, they can bring their coconut back to the stand, where they will carve out the meat and add any of the following toppings:
Chamoy
Tajin
Lime juice
Sprinkles
Chocolate
Caramel
Krispy Kreme doughnut sandwich
While the looks of this sandwich may not be all that appealing, the overall taste is surprisingly savory and delicious. The sweetness of the glazed doughnut compliments the sharp and salty taste of the meat and cheddar cheese. This is the perfect sandwich to eat after a full day of walking around on an empty stomach, but be careful when you hold it, as the doughnuts are served hot and fresh.
One sandwich costs $20, sold at Boss Burger, and is served with red onion and lettuce trimmings on the side. If crazy pastry-themed burgers aren’t your style, hungry patrons can choose from a plethora of other lunch items including corn dogs, hot dogs, hamburgers and cheese fries.
Baby bottle lemonade
For foodies who are looking for a more aesthetically-pleasing lemonade to post on Instagram, look no further than Giant Baby Bottles. This California State Fair vendor took their lemonade and put a fun twist on it by filling up a plastic baby bottle with lemonade and ice, with the option of adding flavors including blue raspberry, strawberry, watermelon, mango, pineapple and peach.
The blue raspberry lemonade, while definitely sweet, tasted more lemony than blue raspberry. A $15 baby bottle comes with one free refill, and those who have trouble deciding are free to mix up the flavors.
Sweet Art cotton candy
Cotton candy is a classic staple found at most fairs but why not make it fun? Located inside Building A next to the Country Fair Cinnamon Rolls is a cotton candy stand called Sweet Art where patrons can purchase animal-themed cotton candy. A fun treat for people of all ages, cotton candy can be spun into a variety of animals including cats, dogs, elephants, dragons and unicorns.
Pokemon fans would be pleasantly surprised to purchase a Pikachu-themed cotton candy. Prices for these fun-themed treats range from $12 to $21, depending on the chosen animal, and have the option to add edible toppings such as glitter, stars and sprinkles for an extra dollar.
