Frontiersman staff and their search for fair food

The Alaska State Fair is here.

Everyone has their favorite reason for going to the fair.

Music. Community. Art. Events. The rides. People watching,

And of course, the food.

Burgers, tacos, seafood, and everything fried from corn dogs or onion rings to the funnel cakes.

This year we decided to do something different to celebrate everyone’s love for fair food. Frontiersman editor Jeremiah Bartz, reporter Katie Stavick and contributor Mark Kelsey hit the trails with $25 in search of a Saturday afternoon lunch, or snacks.

A couple of appetizers before the main course

First, I have to be transparent here. I did cheat. But by only $1. We were supposed to stick to a budget of $25. But this was my idea, and I went for it. And it was worth it.

I easily could have spent the entire $25 on one dish, or at least the bulk of it. There were a few that were pretty tempting. But to me, eating at the fair is a lot like grazing. A little bit here, and more there. And yes, I realize that with that analogy I compared myself to a cow.

I started with a go-to for me every year I make it to the fair. The red beans and rice at Roscoe’s. Part of this idea is trying something new or something you would probably not try. But, I love red beans and rice, and it’s hard to pass up Roscoe’s.

It’s simple and straightforward. Creamy beans with a sauce that you can taste the Cajun trinity (onion, bell pepper, celery). There’s a slight kick, and it’s layered over a bed of white rice.

Cost: $6.

It’s a simple pleasure and has ruined the red beans and rice found in a box at the local grocery store. Roscoe’s is on the red trail near Raven Hall and offers other specialties such as catfish and ribs.

My next stop wasn’t planned.

I was wandering down the purple trail and a booth, Ramen, caught my eye. I’d love to try their ramen but I was still in appetizer mode. Instead, I went for the pork bun. It was either one for $5 or two for $8. I ordered just one. I knew I had at least one more vendor to hit. But next time I can see myself getting two. I’ve always loved dumplings, but have not had the chance to try pork buns often.

The steamed bun was light, almost pillowy. The texture is much different (in a good way) than most things you might lean toward. The savory pork filling had just enough hint of sweet.

Later in the day, I passed a couple of vendors with Mexican food and a quesadilla caught my eye. I’m not usually a quesadilla guy. That’s my daughter’s go-to. And then I thought, if I am going to get a quesadilla at the Alaska State Fair, I’m going to get the one with the Alaska twist.

Next stop, Salmon Express.

I have always heard about the salmon quesadilla and have passed the booth every year, but I have never stopped. This year I gave it a try. I ordered the All-Alaskan quesadilla, which has both salmon and reindeer sausage.

I am not a huge fan of fish and cheese combined. I think there’s a rule against cheese on your fish tacos. But this actually worked. There was a healthy layer of salmon, and not too much cheese. And the kicker, as Guy Fieri would say, is the reindeer sausage. It provided that extra something. Overall, it was good. I’d recommend at least trying it.

Cost: $15.

That’s what pushed me to $26, but it was worth it.

– Jeremiah Bartz

A detour from the donut burger

My mission on Saturday afternoon at the Alaska State Fair was to subdue the mother of all fair food – the donut burger. I had seen pictures, and heard stories about, the legendary “treat” for as many as years as I’ve been attending the fair.

But more than an hour after arriving at the fairgrounds, and after several trips over the Purple Trail, where my trusty online fair guide said the donut burger stand was located, I decided to put my quest on hold for another day.

With my hunger growing and my patience for standing in lines thinning, I decided to spend my $25 allotment in one place – Tres Amigos. I chose the popular fish taco, at $16, and backed it up with the more unique jerk chicken taco, for $14. I was not disappointed.

The fish taco contained ample chunks of nicely cooked Alaska cod wrapped in a warm soft tortilla. The shredded cabbage it was tossed with provided a fresh crunch and welcome texture counterpoint. Whole-leaf cilantro and diced tomato added more freshness and depth to the flavor that was brought together by a lime and cilantro aioli. Good stuff, for sure.

The jerk chicken taco was a fun fusion of Mexican and Caribbean flavors, without the intense scotch bonnet heat that often accompanies many jerk blends. The taco, also served in a warm soft tortilla, wrung some lively flavors from its combination of seasoned meat, rice, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, sour cream and salsa.

One word of caution: these were definitely not walk-around food items, like a pork chop on a stick, or ear of corn. For maximum enjoyment, be sure to have a table staked out, and don’t forget to grab a fork and some extra napkins.

I’ll get an earlier start next week and finally wrangle that donut burger.

– Mark Kelsey

Golden fried goodness

The assignment was for each of us to find non-traditional fair food, meaning no turkey legs or cotton candy. See what there is for fair-goers to sample and maybe, just maybe break out and try something new.

I was lured into my first food by a sign that simply said “Fried Peanut Potatoes,” and having no real idea what was meant by a peanut potato and curious about it. Only when I got up to the counter did I see that it was a highlight for the Bush Bunches,

“If you haven’t had the deep fried peanut potatoes, you miss out. You just have not lived. That is one thing you’ve got to go do because it’s one of the best things at the fair,” said Carol.

The ‘Fried Peanut Potatoes’ are deliciously, golden fried peanut potatoes-a cross between Yukon gold and fingerling potatoes, and was developed and named by farm owner Bruce Bush in 1960, and the State of Alaska has the exclusive rights, but these unique spuds bear his name and they’re sold far and wide.

Bushes Bunches is the only place at the Alaska State Fair you can purchase Peanut Potatoes, with many people coming to the Fair specifically for the Peanut Potatoes every year.

“They all looked like little peanuts so that’s what I called them,” Bush said. “If you have them anywhere in the world, they come from my farm. It’s pretty neat.” They typically sell over 1,200 pounds of peanut potatoes at the Alaska State Fair.

Thicker than your average French fries, the crispy seasoned fried peanut potatoes come with your choice of ranch or bacon dip, it is definitely recommended to go with the homemade, original smoky bacon dip, which pushes the potatoes over the top.

– Katie Stavick

We are all going to hit the fair again this week, with another $25 to spend and much more fair food to find. See the Aug. 28 edition of the Frontiersman for more.

Contact the Frontiersman at news@frontiersman.com.