Allen Bledsoe’s first mission when he visited the fair this weekend was to pick up a Funnel Cake.
Submitted by Allen Bledsoe
The First Friday of the Fall Fair Calls for Funnel Cakes
It's crispy. It's pillowy. It's scalding hot for about one minute - no more, no less. And its curves are dusted with powder giving them a resemblance to Aspen slopes. The funnel cake may be the number one most recognizable fair food of all time.
Plain. Powdered sugar. Peanut butter. Crushed oreo. Chocolate syrup. Just imagine your possibilities.
But you don't have to just imagine. The folks at The Sweet Shop at the Warren County A&L Fair have you covered. Massive swirls of fried dough with all your favorite toppings are being cranked out every night of the Fair. And part of the fun is watching those amazing folks cook up plate after plate of puffy perfection.
The 4H booth is also known for some incredible funnel cakes.
If the funnel cake isn't an adventurous enough sweet treat for you, these places also offer other amazing, deep-fried desserts.
Oreos. With the cookie softening and becoming nearly cake-like. Twinkies. Snickers. Heating up to turn molten inside a pillowy blanket. All dipped in delicious batter and cooked to a golden brown delight.
There is something about Fair food that makes calories seem like a conspiracy theory. I'm not sure if it's the smell of cinnamon and warm, fried dough in the air. Or possibly the fact that the dessert can easily become the meal while you lose yourself in the lights and sounds we all love about the Fair.
So if you're out at the Fair this week, and you catch a whiff of these delectable treats... follow your nose. And tell em, Bledsoe sent ya.
More Than a Meal
Getting to Know Warren County Through Food
I've spent a great amount of time thinking about and studying food.
Not just eating it, but watching what happens before it ever reaches the table. The prep work. The family recipes. The people who spend hours behind the counter, over a grill, behind a smoker or in a kitchen so that somebody else can sit down and enjoy a meal.
That is what I want to explore here.
My name is Allen Bledsoe, and I'll be taking a closer look at the growing food scene in and around Warren County. I'm kind of a local, a foodie, and I've had the opportunity to experience the food business from the opposite side of the counter. That experience has given me a greater appreciation and respect for all the people who work passionately to feed our community.
But this isn't going to be another restaurant review program.
Instead, I want to show you reasons to go try these places. The food will be the vehicle that drives us.
Warren County has a food scene that is growing and worth talking about. We have restaurants that have served the community for generations, brand-new bakeries and farmstands producing some of the best breads and sweet treats in the state, a BBQ scene with a TON of personality and food trucks from here and beyond giving us all so many options to feed our faces.
And behind each one of these businesses are people who deserve the spotlight. That is a lot of what we want to highlight here. I want to know who started the restaurant and why? I want to know where that family recipe came from. I want to know how much prep goes on before you open your doors. I want to know how much time you spent perfecting your craft. I want to meet everyone responsible for helping us all have options.
Sometimes we may put a signature dish at a local restaurant on a pedestal. Really showcasing the best and brightest options around.
Sometimes we may discuss how a family business has been built and thrives.
Sometimes I might give an inside look at someone taking a chance on a food truck or new storefront.
And sometimes we may just talk to a local fan favorite who truly loves what they do.
No matter what, the food will get us there.
I hope we can shine a light on the unknowns, return to McMinnville hot spots, and give all of these places a new way to show you why you should stop by.
If I do this right, hopefully you finish reading and think, "I've got to try this place."
I'll introduce you to the food and the people behind it. Maybe I can refresh your memory about a forgotten fave or help you discover something you didn't know was in your own backyard. But when it comes to deciding what belongs on your plate, I'll leave that up to you.