It’s Fair Time!
It’s fair season, and right now, the California State Fair is happening. My son is here for a visit from New York City, and he’d like nothing more than to go to the fair. Me? I’m hoping I don’t melt if we do! It’s going to be in the triple digits most of the week.
That said, you start to think of all the things you’ll miss out on if you don’t go. I love all the exhibits and livestock. My son Troy loves the food! So, I picked a popular fair food and decided to blog about it!
Cotton candy has been a staple of American fairs for over a century, bringing back sweet childhood memories for many. But how did this sugary treat become so popular? It all started in 1897 when dentist William Morrison and confectioner John C. Wharton teamed up to create a machine that could spin heated sugar into a fluffy, cotton-like texture. The fact a dentist that invented cotton candy still floors me. But density back then wasn’t what it’s like today.
Seven years later, the duo unveiled their invention, now known as “cotton candy,” at the St. Louis World Fair in 1904. With attractions like a Ferris wheel and circus, the fair drew in over 20 million visitors who were captivated by the new treat. By the end of the fair, Morrison and Wharton had sold over 68,000 boxes of cotton candy for a quarter each, making just over $17,000 in profit.
Their success led to the formation of the “Electric Candy Company” and a patent for their machine, preventing competitors from entering the market until 1921. In the meantime, dentist Josef Lascaux entered the industry and coined the name “cotton candy.”
In 1949, Gold Medal Products introduced a spring-loaded base for more efficient production. Since then, there have been developments such as fully automated machines and unique flavors. Despite these changes, one thing remains constant: cotton candy’s popularity around the world. There’s even been some books written about cotton candy and its history!
From its humble beginnings as a small-town delight to an international sensation with endless possibilities for flavors and creations, cotton candy is here to stay. And who knows what creative inventions will be added to its legacy in the future!
Whether you’re a cotton candy fan or not, tell me what your favorite fair good is? Aside from cotton candy, it’s the caramel apples for me! Oh, and don’t forget the elephant ears! I’m giving away a free e-book of mine of choice to one lucky commenter!
USA Today bestselling author Kit Morgan is the author of over 140 books of historical and contemporary western romance! Her stories are fun, sweet stories full of love, laughter, and just a little bit of mayhem! Kit creates her stories in her little log cabin in the woods in the Pacific Northwest. An avid reader and knitter, when not writing, she can be found with either a book or a pair of knitting needles in her hands! Oh, and the occasional smidge of chocolate!
Yum! Belgium waffles for me. Elephant ears are a close second though!
I’ve seen the Belgium waffles sold at fairs, but have never given them a try. I’ll have to check them out!
Cotton candy is still so fun to eat. Hot dogs used to be my favorite fair food. Every year we would go to the Iowa State Fair. We would stay at my maternal grandparents house and go everyday.
Oh, how fun, Nancy! I love hot dogs, but never had one from a fair. It was always corn dogs!
I love a soft elephant ear – many times they over cook them!
I LOVE elephant ears! I guess I’ve lucked out over the years, Teresa. Most every elephant ear I’ve had was soft.
Cotton candy and funnel cakes are my favorites. I think funnel cakes are the same as elephant ears.
I’m not sure if they are or not, Bonnie. I’ve had funnel cakes, but I can’t remember what they were. That tells you how long ago it was!
I love cheese curds.
I admit it. I’ve never had them, Kathy! A lot of people love them though!
I like most of it, but my favorite is elephant ears.
I love blooming onions, and also the caramel apples and the elephant ears!
I have not been to a fair in a bit and have had to change what I can eat due to allergies. So I am not sure any more.
Oh, the pain of allergies! I feel for you, Debra. It’s been a while since I’ve been to the fair as well. We decided it’s just too hot this week to go.
Good morning Kit! Ive not been to a fair in many years…since my children were small! I love the cotton candy and candy apples! We always had our fairs in the fall while growing up. Food was a nice thing, but I enjoyed the rides and the Ferris Wheel. I still love the Merry Go Round! Man, I need to visit the fair again! LOL
I love Ferris Wheels because they give you a bird’s eye view of the entire fair! My favorite ride used to be roller coasters, but I don’t think I could take riding one now.
hot dogs
Or corn dogs! I love them both!
Mine is the foot long corn dog at my local fair.
Oh yeah! I love corn dogs! And a foot long corn dog? That’s even better!
I love the huge, special ice cream sandwiches – ice cream wedged between two yummy chocolate chip cookies. A close second is the choco taco. These were originally sold by Klondike, but they’ve discontinued them. However, they can still be found at the Texas State Fair. It’s basically a waffle cone in the shape of a taco shell, filled with ice cream, and dipped in chocolate.
Yum! And Its It is ice cream between two chocolate chip cookies. Walmart carries them as do a few other grocery chains.
I don’t find the prepackaged ones nearly as good as the others. : )
I have never been to a fair.
Barbara, they’re so much fun. If you even get a chance to attend one, do it.
I love an “all the way” hot dog at the fair.
I’ve never heard of that, Connie. Is that another name for a loaded dog, or a hot dog with everything you can imagine on it?
I’ve not been to fairs! I don’t like the ferris wheel and rides like that, but most of all, this introvert does NOT like crowds!! I do like cotton candy, though! And Sno Cones!!
Sno Cones! In the book I just finished my characters buy sno cones. Boy, I’ve not had one of those in ages!
I LOVE COTTON CANDY. Second on the list would be caramel apples. I also love funnel cakes. Anything messy. You can leave out any fried treats like coney dogs, the covered hotdogs with the pancake like coating. My fair days are long over. I used to delight in lots of rides, like the scrambler, the swings going around in circles, sometimes the Farris wheel, the tilt-0-whirl also. Unfortunately, my husband cannot take anything that goes around in circles. Give him the go-cart racing, or the bumper cars. So much fun and most out in the sun.
All those twirly rides, Judy! I couldn’t take riding them even as a kid except the Ferris Wheel. I was always more a roller coaster kid. I think at our age we’re less inclined to hit rides at the fair anymore. It’s more about exhibits and the food! LOL! The bigger the fair, the more exhibits there are.
I like cotton candy, Carmel apples and funnel cakes.
Those seem to be the top three fair foods, Linda!
I like cotton candy but I prefer funnel cakes! sometimes even a good plain corn dog with a cold Dr Pepper will do!
I remember the fair I bought an ear of corn. Best ear of corn I ever had!
I do love cotton candy.
But, my favorite fair food is funnel cake.
Our Farm Fair, aka county fair, is going on now. State Fair is closer to Labor Day.
The California state fair used to be closer to Labor Day, but they moved it to July years ago. Right smack in the hottest part of summer! We decided it was too hot to go, Denise. Today it’s 105 here. We’re hitting the beach tomorrow instead!
Pennsylvania is smart–they have The Farm Show (state fair) in January.
That is smart!
Funnel cake is my absolute favorite!
Who doesn’t love funnel cake! Yum!
what a fun post today. thank you. I love so much of the “fairs’ food. Especially the corn dogs and pretzels with mustard and ice cream’s. our first “fair” was in CA when three of us five kids were in 4-H. I entered with a horse, a cow, a pig and sewing. We stayed at the fair grounds in a tent. It was a little cramped with mom and us five kids, but mom made it work. believe it or not she brought a foldable bunk bed that a friend of moms gave to us. this is where my sister and I slept. my three brothers got to sleep on the floor. mom had a cot. wow talk about fun for the week. because I was in 4-H, I got coupons and we tried all kinds of foods. except the veggies, we got plenty of that at home. LOL
Oh how fun, Lori! I would have loved to have done that as a kid!
I like candy apples, but haven’t had one in years. We haven’t been to a fair in many years.
It’s been awhile since I’ve been to one as well, Elaine. Good thing there are other places that sell candy apples!
I love cotton candy! I also love seeing the animals but it’s been a long time since I’ve been to the fair. At least the places I lived in, the fairs came at cooler times so it’s not hot. In Florida, it came in January and in Maine, it comes in September.
Cooler is better. I can’t imagine attending the fair in 105 degree heat.
I actually like corndogs!
Me too, Linda! I love them!
My favorite fair food is Funnel Cakes
I’m beginning to think that’s everyone’s favorite after reading all these posts, Crystal!
Too bad my internet was down. We have had problems for over 2 weeks.
Cotton candy has always been my favorite fair food. We genreally do not eat on the midway. We support the local organizations that have food booths.
It’s been a while but I think I’ll have to go with sampling the wares at the baked goods exhibit (cookies, anyone?).
My fair food is homemade french fries with vinegar & salt …(& of course cotton candy!)