LYNDEN — The Northwest Washington Fair is a heady kaleidoscope of carnival rides, musical performances, rodeos and and my personal draw: food.
Deep-fried, beer-battered, chocolate-covered food. In my eyes, county fair cuisine is one of the last bastions of true Americana: It’s served without any nods to health or food trends. The servings are enormous, and the variety is all-encompassing.
Walking through the front gates of the fair this weekend, my friends and I were met with a wall of noise and throngs of people moving from booth to booth, ride to ride. Within seconds I am drawn to Joe’s Pretzel Bites, a kiosk also selling Spam fries. Shortly thereafter, I’m handed a plate of curly fries topped with fried Spam, spicy mayonnaise and onions.
Admittedly I was expecting battered and fried pieces of Spam — but, they did technically provide me with exactly what I ordered. There really is nothing more emblematic of the county fair experience.
Ignoring all dining conventions, we decided to move onto a local classic: the Moo-Wich. Made by the Whatcom County Dairy Women, two homemade chocolate chip cookies envelope a jaw-unhinging portion of vanilla ice cream. These are often sold out, and a treat I’ve been enjoying at the fair since I was a kid.
Having put down approximately half a pound of ice cream, how better to wash it down than with a block of curly fries? The Mount Baker Toppers transform two potatoes into a block of fries that easily feeds a family of four. It’s a truly iconic sight: A gang of teenagers tearing into this… hedge of fried potato.
But the impression doesn’t last long, because just across the way, my eyes are drawn towards Uncle Bill’s Famous Corndog Shack selling — what else? — hand-dipped corn dogs. Naturally I bought one: A smoked dog dunked in thick corn batter and fried crispy, the $14 price tag is easily ignored by just how satisfying it is. This corn dog is heavy enough to be used as a club at the Whac-A-Mole booths in a pinch (but I’d recommend eating it instead).
Attempting to retain consciousness, we go for a walk through the booths and stop for another iconic fair food at Stizzy’s Funnel Cakes. These cakes are always greasy, always heavy and always immensely satisfying in the way only fried breads can be. Their sign also advertised a funnel cake chicken sandwich — were I braver, my curiosity would have gotten the better of me. I can’t quite think of anything more deeply patriotic than a fried chicken breast between two maple glazed funnel cakes.
Finally, a must have: poffertjes from Lynden Dutch Bakery. These little dough balls bear a passing resemblance and flavor to pancakes, but their round nature (courtesy of the pans they’re cooked in, like takoyaki) keeps the center more moist. Topped with powdered sugar and a heavy butter cream, they’re a spectacular little Dutch treat, and a solidly Lynden offering at the fair. Sharing a serving of these on a date is an experience many of us who grew up here can relate to.
With my stomach completely packed with frying oil and sugar, I opted to skip the rides and stick to the other attractions. While the Northwest Washington Fair isn’t the biggest in the state, there’s a charm to it that just can’t be beat. If you go with open eyes and an open stomach, you might just find yourself swept along in the fun.
The Northwest Washington Fair is open daily until Aug. 17. Info: nwwafair.com.
Mark Saleeb is a frequent enjoyer of food. Find him at instagram.com/eats.often.
