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Pickle juice lemonade, Frosted Flakes encrusted fried chicken - yummy or yucky? Best fair food revealed

Eddie Ritz, Palm Beach Post
·6 min read
2

"Come with me if you want to live."

Like Kyle Reese said to Sarah Conner in the movie "The Terminator," come with me if you want to do more than just exist. Come with me on a culinary journey to the 111th South Florida Fair and live.

Yes, mild is nice. Mild is safe. But is that what you really want? No, not when you’re headed to the fair. With more than four dozen vendors offering so many ways to push the tastebud envelope, don’t play it safe.

More:The 111th South Florida Fair is here in West Palm Beach and it's 'Dino-Myte'

More:South Florida Fair in West Palm Beach steps up rules for teens, kids

Think of fair dining as the culinary equivalent of hang gliding naked off of Mount Everest or climbing on that 1,500-pound bull named Voodoo Child, whatever metaphor you want -  just do it. Take a massive deep-fried, chocolate-dipped bite out of life, throw off the shackles of mild and run wild!

Shackles off but not sure how to begin? Sweet? Savory? Sloppy? Slurpy? We headed to the fairgrounds this week to help you strategize.

Though dozens of worthy options line the midway and beyond, here are six that are definitely worth checking out.

Donut Burger

The donut burger by Sivori Catering at the South Florida Fair is just one of the wild culinary creations available.
The donut burger by Sivori Catering at the South Florida Fair is just one of the wild culinary creations available.

What's not to love about this beautifully-crafted sandwich from Sivori Catering? A piping-hot, juicy burger, molten American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle between two glazed donuts. Sweet, savory, meaty, hearty, rustic and refined. It's actually the perfect meal if you break it down: You've got your house salad with lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle, your entrée course of perfectly-grilled beef and cheese, and then dessert. Boom! Done! Delicious!

Dill Pickle Lemonade

The Dill Pickle Lemonade at the Lemonade Stand was sweet, sour, tart, even a bit salty and fantastic.
The Dill Pickle Lemonade at the Lemonade Stand was sweet, sour, tart, even a bit salty and fantastic.

You know the old adage "don't knock it 'til you try it?" Try this and become a believer … or not. Lemonade stand owner Greg Miller said people seem to either love it or hate it. I will say this: I am a believer — like the donkey in "Shrek" singing "I believe, I believe, I believe" kind of believer. It is absolutely fantastic! The sweetness of the lemonade is excellent, but the tartness becomes somehow even more enhanced with the sourness of the pickle juice and pickles themselves (yes, they are in there and they rock). Seriously, I could drink this by the gallon. No chemicals or mixes here either, Miller said they use only highest quality lemons and pickles from Cheney Brothers.

Frosted Flake Chicken on a Stick

Palm Beach Post reporter Eddie Ritz samples Frosted Flake Chicken on a Stick with Siracha maple dipping sauce at the South Florida Fair.
Palm Beach Post reporter Eddie Ritz samples Frosted Flake Chicken on a Stick with Siracha maple dipping sauce at the South Florida Fair.

The folks at Chicken & Waffles are serving up this masterpiece, and it is a lot like heaven ... on a stick. While they pretty much had me at Frosted Flakes, let me break it down for you. It's white meat chicken, dusted in cornmeal, dredged in waffle batter, rolled in Frosted Flakes then deep fried for four to five minutes. Sound good? Well, hold on. To top it, if you like, there's Siracha maple syrup. If the Frosted Flake-encrusted chicken by itself is already at 10 (and believe me, it is), where can you go? With the Siracha maple syrup it goes to 11! Heck, it goes to 111! Not kidding, it is fantastic. Also, a shout out to Lenny Johnson who cooked mine. Thanks, Lenny!

Candy Apples

Dipped in caramel, then Belgian chocolate before being covered in gold leaf sheets, the 24 karat Gold Covered Apple at Imperial Foods is an edible treasure, literally.
Dipped in caramel, then Belgian chocolate before being covered in gold leaf sheets, the 24 karat Gold Covered Apple at Imperial Foods is an edible treasure, literally.

It's almost wrong to just call the candy apples at Imperial Foods candy apples. It's like calling the "Mona Lisa" a painting. Owner Billy Davis is a master of his craft and passionate about creating something amazing every time. He makes his own caramel, multiple varieties of chocolate and even his own spice blends. Add to this Davis' creative mind and you've got something special. Using only Granny Smith apples as the base, he has more than two dozen varieties available at any one time. The Cajun Candy Apple was incredible. First dipped in caramel, then white chocolate and finally covered in Cajun seasoning, it's unreal in the flavors you experience. It first hits with the tartness of the apple, followed by the savory caramel, then the sweetness of the white chocolate and finally the refreshing spicy kick of the Cajun seasoning. Another variety that is definitely out of the box, is the 24 karat Gold Covered Apple. Not kidding. After being dipped in caramel and Belgian chocolate, it's covered with small squares of edible gold leaf (three sheets per apple), then Davis brushes any remaining exposed areas with an edible 24 karat luster. Finally he tops it with 24 karat gold nugget. It's $42. Davis is careful to remind patrons that it is an actual apple made for eating, not just for display.

Deep Fried Twinkie

My first ever bite of a Deep Fried Twinkie was an almost spiritual experience. If you've never tried one, it's time.
My first ever bite of a Deep Fried Twinkie was an almost spiritual experience. If you've never tried one, it's time.

Though this seems to be a staple at many fairs, I personally (and I'm sure I'm not alone) had never tried one. Let me start out by saying that much like Woody Harrelson's character in "Zombieland," I think Twinkies are pretty amazing.Take amazing, dip it in batter, deep fry it and cover it in powdered sugar and you start to transcend the physical plane and enter into the spiritual realm. Seriously, I can only imagine that upon entering heaven, that there might be angels handing them out as people walk through the pearly gates.

Donut Sundae

The donut sundae at Fluffy's Donuts is ridiculously good. With a Fruity Pebble-encrusted donut topped with rich vanilla ice cream, sprinkles and hot fudge it's simultaneously sweet and cooling on a warm day.
The donut sundae at Fluffy's Donuts is ridiculously good. With a Fruity Pebble-encrusted donut topped with rich vanilla ice cream, sprinkles and hot fudge it's simultaneously sweet and cooling on a warm day.

Fluffy's Donuts has an average of 20 different donuts to choose from, including banana cream pie, vanilla iced with/or without sprinkles, Oreo, Heath Bar, maple bacon, Fruity Pebble-encrusted and many more. For their sundae, you can choose any donut and they will lovingly place a healthy portion of either chocolate, vanilla or chocolate/vanilla swirl in the middle. It can then be topped with hot fudge and sprinkles. I went with the Fruity Pebble-encrusted donut with vanilla ice cream and sprinkles. The donut is delicious and the ice cream is fantastic as well. In fact, the ice cream was so good I inquired about whether it was custard. Manager Whitney Fraleigh said it's a much higher grade ice cream than most places use with a higher concentration of butterfat.

If it makes you feel better, promise yourself you'll do an extra 20 minutes on the treadmill or sauna or whatever, but get to the fair and live!

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South Florida Fair

Customers munch on fair food at the South Florida Fair on January 15, 2023.This year's theme is "Dino-Myte'" and features up to a dozen full-scale, moving, scientifically accurate, animatronic dinosaurs and dinosaur-related exhibits.
Customers munch on fair food at the South Florida Fair on January 15, 2023.This year's theme is "Dino-Myte'" and features up to a dozen full-scale, moving, scientifically accurate, animatronic dinosaurs and dinosaur-related exhibits.

Where: 9067 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach

When: Jan. 13 through 29

Hours: Noon to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. MLK Day and Friday, Saturday, Sunday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. closing day

Cost: 10 and younger free; 11 and older at gate $15 on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and $20 on Saturday and Sunday; Tuesdays $2. Entry fee does not include rides or parking. Ride wristbands $25 at gate Monday through Friday, $40 at gate on Saturday and Sunday. Parking $10 general, $20 premium.

Information: 561-793-0333; 800-640-FAIR; southfloridafair.com

Note: On Friday and Saturday nights, all guests under 18, when entering the fairgrounds, must be accompanied by an adult. Proof of age will be required for the accompanying adult. In addition to the gate admission, all guests ages 6 to 17 must purchase a ride wristband prior to entering the fair.

Eddie Ritz is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at eritz@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: South Florida Fair 2023: Best foods beyond funnel cake, candy apples