Once a Year

It is that time of year where I make another annual pilgrimage. It is not far nor difficult. It is to the New Mexico State Fair. I have been going to the Fair since I was born. My dad and mom used to love to take us to the horse races at the Fair and we would go quite a bit during that season. My dad especially enjoyed going and I never really saw him get more excited about anything than winning at the Track. He did well at handicapping the nags but he was never compulsive about it.

I remember as a toddler going with my sister and twin brother to the terrace on the grand stand where you could look out over the midway's carnival rides and food sellers. That brings me to the point of this blog. The CORN DOG!



Now every year I go to the Fair primarily for my annual search for the best corn dog. I love corn dogs. They are really bad for me so I limit my intake of them to what I can find at the State Fair. All corn dogs are not alike. Some of the vendors there sell pretty bad ones. But there are a few conscientious corn dog vendors who know the importance of perfection. That means a high quality tube steak that has been submerged and saturated with the very best of whatever it is they dip it in. I am pretty sure it is mostly cornmeal, but I know there is a lot of other bad stuff in there, but certainly nothing worse than what is in that dog.

One website said Corn dogs were supposedly created in 1942 for the Texas State Fair by Neil Fletcher. He is dead now another website said. Corn dogs are an excellent source of calories, fat, cholesterol and salt.

My good friend Rodger Beimer, the Deputy State Fair Manager, has become indispensable in finding the location of the finest corn dog vendors as they start setting up shop a few days before opening day. This year he has opined that it is at the food court. The top of the stand has a large red sign that says, Corn Dogs.

I will probably go there tomorrow for lunch. I will take photos.