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When I first envisioned a fried candy bar, the image that came to mind was a candy bar battered with a coating similar to that of fried chicken. I deemed this to be extremely unappealing, and vowed I would not eat fried candy, ever.
But when I brought up the subject around my friends, several of them had tried the up-and-coming treat and had nothing but praise for it. I concluded I might have been quick to judge, and decided to reevaluate my decision.
I attended the 2012 Raleigh State Fair for the first time on Saturday and realized that there was no more appropriate place to try a fried candy bar. Among the screaming children being chased by their anxious parents, the vast array of fried foods and the hurried yet excited ambiance the State Fair was unlike anything I have experienced.
My friends and I clung to each other as we weaved through the slow moving foot traffic. It took a bit of searching and asking for directions from fair employees, but we finally found what we were looking for. It was an enormous food cart plastered with huge, attention-grabbing posters that advertised fried foods ranging from Reese’s Cups to KoolAid — I knew that this was the place.
I ordered a fried Snickers bar, and received what looked like a corndog. After confirming with an employee that it was not a corn dog but in fact a Snickers bar that had been fried in dough, it was time to eat.
The first bite was delicious. The warm, dough shell held together a very rich and now melted mixture of chocolate, nougat and nuts. I instantly felt remorse for my prejudice and for dismissing it as a weird fair food that I would not eat. Although I could only manage a few bites before handing the bizarre concoction over to my friends, I certainly had the experience and nausea that one can only gain after eating an entire fried candy bar.
I’m not sure if it was the delicious flavor, the ingenuity or the sheer ridiculousness that made the fried Snickers bar so appealing, but it certainly is something that every fair-goer should experience.
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