One of the best things about the Centre County Grange Fair is walking the streets to check out all the delicious fair food, looking for new things to try. It seems every year there is something new and exciting that takes the fair by storm.
Deep-fried Oreos were once a novelty, but are now a fair staple. Cheesecake-on-a-stick is still going strong, but this year, there is a whole new concoction that is drawing curiosity and food lust among fairgoers — the cotton candy burrito.
“It’s a couple of layers of cotton candy, a Twinkie, three scoops of ice cream and a handful of sprinkles all rolled up in a burrito, minus the rice and sour cream. Kids just love them,” said Incredible Popcorn owner Jeremy Evans. “People enjoy it. It is something new at the fair. It’s like cotton candy ice cream. Once they have a taste of it, they’re like, ‘Wow, this is really good.’”
Evans said he came up with the idea at his store in Bloomsburg, where it was a hit. He felt that it also would be a big hit at the fair, and he seems to be right. People are taking pictures of the burrito and sharing them on social media, drawing people to the stand to try this interesting, previously unheard-of, combination.
Early on the morning of Aug. 20, at least three people came by to take pictures of the sign for the burrito during a 10-minute span, sharing the photos with friends and hoping to come back at a more reasonable hour, when a sugar overload would be more acceptable.
“It’s a new attraction for all the kids and families here at the fair, and it tastes pretty good, too,” said Evans.
While it is quiet a decadent mixture, part of the fun of the fair is eating things that you normally wouldn’t. The sugar and crunch of the cotton candy mixes with the ice cream very well, and the ice cream smooths out the cotton candy, making the sweetness not so overwhelming. At $6, the combination is a pretty tasty novelty you might want to share with a friend or two. And, remember to grab a lot of napkins, as it can get a little sticky.
Evans’ stand also serves edible cookie dough in a bowl, with or without ice cream. This was his big new product last year, and it seems like it was a hit; Evans said people are still ordering it by the bowlful.
Will the cotton candy burrito last as long as the deepfried Oreo? Will it return like the edible cookie dough did? Or, will it melt away, as cotton candy and ice cream tend to do on a hot fair day? Only time will tell, but if you are adventurous, it’s worth a try.
