We’ll be dreaming of those 11 delicious days in Raleigh until we’re back at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds. For now, we’re fondly revisiting the best eats — and the friendliest faces — that only come around once a year.
state fair
Pickle It. Jam It. Win It.
It’s judgment day at the State Fair’s food preservation competitions: Lids pop, judges dig in, and the anticipation is so thick you could spread it on a nice, warm piece of toast.
Watch: How to Make Caramel Apples with Salted Peanuts
These sweet and salty caramel apples are festive and delicious.
Corn Dog Muffins
These mini-muffins are perfectly portable, making them a great snack for a lunch box, a picnic, a road trip, or a potluck. It's just a bonus that they're adorable, making our favorite fair food a little more refined.
Pumpkins, Pride of the Patch
In the month leading up to Halloween, golden-orange gourds are everywhere, popping up on porches and blanketing church lawns. As pies or as jack-o’-lanterns, pumpkins feed us, scare us, and light the way.
Fried Jell-O and 3 Other Crazy Foods to Try at This Year’s NC State Fair
We took a culinary tour of the North Carolina State Fair and lived to tell the tale — and we might have even discovered a new favorite food. Hint: It's fried.