It’s that annual time of year in Orange County when the fair comes to town. I’m not sure what has more appeal - the opportunity to risk your life on fair rides,  Weird Al’s brain exhibit (not sure what that’s about), or spending a small fortune to taste test the wide and scary variety of fried foods available.

My dad’s birthday always coincides with the fair. No, we didn’t take him to the fair. We like him too much to do that to him. We celebrated at my house and because I’m so burned out from baking, I couldn’t bring myself to bake a cake. Thank goodness the boy had a better idea! I don’t eat a lot of fried foods, but what my son requested required Grandma’s deep fryer. The boy and his Grandpa can never pass a churro stand without buying one when they’re together. This shared ritual started at Disney when my son was two (just shortly after his grandpa taught him the phrase, “More Beer!”). Anyway, I had to agree that frying up a few churros was the perfect alternative to a birthday cake. Not only were yummy, but had a personal meaning behind them. Have I taught the child well or what? The recipe below comes from the “Butter, Sugar, Flour” blog and was really easy to make.

Now, had I known that deep fried White Castles were an option, I might have convinced the boy that we make these for my dad just for shock value. My parent’s first date was at White Castle (Apparently, my dad was really trying to impress her??  42 years of marriage later I think he made a good choice). We don’t have White Castle in California (and those frozen ones in the freezer aisle don’t count!). When my parents moved here, they used to make my grandma bring a case on the plane with her as a “carry-on” item. I’m not kidding! Can you imagine the smell? Does deep-frying them take the edge off the smell? Hmmm…. Let me know if you make it to the fair.

If you’re now inspired to take out that deep fryer, here are the latest fried foods coming to a fair near you. Seriously, who comes up with this stuff?

1. Deep-fried chocolate covered bacon

2. Zucchini weenie (if you’re wondering it’s a hot dog in a hollowed out zucchini, battered and deep-fried.)

3. Deep-fried coke (I’m a little confused too.)

4. Fried Jelly Bellys (How dare anyone even consider messing with a Jelly Belly?)

5. Fried pizza (because it wasn’t greasy enough in its original state??)

Churros with Dulce de Leche Sauce (From Linda at Butter, Sugar, Flour)

Adapted from a recipe by the Bodega Tapas boys found in Gourmet Traveller, October 2007.

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups plain flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

vegetable oil, for deep frying

mixed ground cinnamon and caster sugar, for dusting

Dulce de leche sauce

400g can of condensed milk

60ml of milk, warmed

1. For the sauce,  place unopened can of condensed milk into a large saucepan and cover completely with water. Bring to the simmer over medium heat and cook for 2 hours, adding more water if necessary to keep can covered. Cool completely in water (do not remove can while still warm as it may explode), then open and remove dulce de leche. Combine dulce de leche with milk in a bowl and stir until smooth. Set aside in a warm place until required.

2. For the churros, combine oil, 600ml water and salt in a large saucepan and bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Gradually add flour and baking powder, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon until dough is smooth.

3. Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan to 165°C. Spoon the batter into a piping bag with a 1-centimetre star nozzle. Carefully pipe 10cm lengths into the oil, cutting the churro from the bag with scissors, being careful as the hot oil may splash (if this is too fiddly, pipe the batter into a slotted spoon first, then lower into the hot oil). Fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towel and toss in the cinnamon sugar mixture until well combined.

4. Serve warm or cold with the sauce.