Fair Time

The end of summer is drawing near as every student counting the days will be able to tell you. The corn is growing high with sweet corn stands starting to open here and there. Second cutting of hay is ongoing and gardens are ripening up nicely.

Time of the year for the fair.

Growing up in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont the end of summer heralded the Caledonia County Fair. Ah... memories of the Midway, the rides, the games, the food. As I grew older I ventured more around the fair grounds and discovered the livestock, floral hall, horse pulling. I also got to attend other area fairs. To the north was the Barton (Orleans County) Fair which was nearly a carbon copy of the Caledonia County Fair. Across the Connecticut river to the south was the North Haverhill Fair, one of my favorites just because of the emphasis on agriculture.

Since moving to Northern New York my fair going has bounced between the St. Lawrence County Fair and the Franklin County Fair, which happens to be going on this week.

But coming up next month is the one that I (currently) like the best - the Hammond 4-H and FFA Fair. What can I say, this fair is strictly a small town agriculture fair primarily devoted to the kids of agriculture. In other words - this is what fairs started out as, a celebration of agriculture and as well the end of another fruitful growing season.

I guess that I had better mention the food. The Caledonia County Fair is the best place to get Apple Crisp. All of the other fairs offer up the same fare that we all look forward too, sausage and peppers, fries, fried dough. (sigh).

Perseveration

The other night I was browsing the channels and stumbled across Bobby Flay's 'Throwdown' on the Food Network. And the throwdown for this episode was 'Fish & Chips'. I have been salivating ever since.

I have never made this myself but am ready to try. Over the last ten plus years I really have not eaten that much in the way of fried food but that is about to change.

Back in my bachelor days I had an apartment in Burlington, Vermont, a mere stones throw away from The Vermont Pub and Brewery. Many a night my buddy Mike and I would end up there and I recall more than once partaking of a pint or two of Dogbite Bitter with a plate of their Fish & Chips. Very tasty indeed.

So now, I need to make some up. I have a feeling that until I do I will not be able to get this out of my head.