The annual county fare

“People want traditional fair food, and if they’re on a diet it won’t be the day they come to the fair,” said Marco Arredondo, owner of Noel’s Mexican Food.

And while adults can easily find the same fare they remember enjoying as a kid, that’s not to say you won’t find creative creations at the concession stands.

Noel’s offers a fried avocado taco, which is much like a fish taco but with half of an avocado fried in Corona beer batter as the centerpiece; and, for the first time this year, it’s serving up burritos, tacos, fries and corn in a cup with Flamin’ hot Cheetos, after one of Arredondo’s employees noticed the trend in Mexico.

One can dig into lobster fries at Sharky’s, cookie dough that’s made with pre-baked flour and no eggs and served in a red velvet cone at Doughp and bacon-wrapped turkey legs at Backyard Village BBQ.

And of course burgers, ribs, kettle corn, corn dogs and just about every other fair staple continue to be hits.

Each of those items and more will be available in smaller portions for just $3 on Thursday, June 14.

For Hunter and Kelly Manzo, owners of kettle corn company A Pop Above, the traditional kettle and caramel flavors continue to sell best, but they also offer eight specials, including a sweet and savory blend of Chicago-style golden cheddar and caramel corn. Chicago is where the couple hails from, and where they met while attending culinary school. Both worked as line cooks at downtown Chicago restaurants before they opened A Pop Above, and now travel the country for about half of the year popping more than 20 flavors of corn.

The Manzos and their business will be featured on the Cooking Channel’s Carnival Kings and Carnival Eats television programs this year.

Just as many of the fair’s familiar menu offerings haven’t changed for generations, some of the purveyors of those items have been at it as long.

Country Fair Cinnamon Rolls, which has two locations at the fair, is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, and Erin and Augie Magdaleno are the third generation owners.

During the fair’s nine-day run, the company’s cinnamon rolls demand 1,600 pounds of whole wheat flour, 500 pounds of cream cheese for the made-from-scratch frosting and about 100 pounds of California-grown walnuts are used for toppings.

Another husband-and-wife team, Donna and John Burgoon have owned Mrs. J’s for 23 years and are known for their Oreo cookie sundaes, fresh strawberry shortcake and chocolate-dipped cheesecake.

Donna Burgoon, who lives in Chico, said the San Mateo County Fair is one of her favorites, and each year she serves her popular desserts to many familiar faces.

“People come back asking for us, we have a legacy and want to carry it on,” she said.

Owner of pizza and hotdog company Milo’s, appropriately named Travis Franks, inherited the business from his father, who opened it in the 1970s. A two-story stand toward the entrance of the fair makes hundreds of pizzas from scratch daily.

Dave Yonan, owner of Space Age Food Concessions, purchased the trailer for his business from his uncle, who owned a carnival called Space Age Amusements in the 1970s. Early on, Yonan sold fish and chips, but later transitioned to burgers, dogs and fries, and this year put curly fries on the menu for the first time. He also tried curly fries himself for the first time this year, and was pleasantly surprised, but not as surprised as he was to sell 40 30-pound cases of them in two days.

Like many concessioners, he travels to about nine fairs a year — others visit as many more — between April and October. He frequents venues in California and Arizona, but many of them are regulars at fairs and other events in many more states than that.

This is Yonan’s first year at the San Mateo fair. About 85 percent of the food vendors are return sellers, and roughly 15 percent of them are new.

“We often hear from people who have been coming here 20 or more years,” said Chief Marketing Consultant Pennie Rorex. “Memories are made here and people carry on these traditions and for many people food is a big part of that.”

zachary@smdailyjournal.com

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