Fair foods not so freakish this year

Instead, stalwarts like corn dogs and turkey legs get flourishes

Chocolate strawberry cups, with or without pistachio topping.

Fair food standby meets fad as a turkey leg is smothered in hot honey at LA County Fair stand Biggys. Photos by Anjali Sharif-Paul — Staff Photographer

A corn dog, right, gets a creative treatment at Chicken Charlie’s — the interior is meatballs with mozzarella. At left are roasted chiles with queso blanco and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos bits.

Hot Dog on a Stick is known for its lemonade, which gets added pucker power this year with a shot of pickle juice and a few slices as garnish.

Another variation on the omnipresent turkey leg: This one is stuffed with macaroni and cheese and topped with barbecue sauce and crisp onions at the Ranch stand.

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By Fielding Buck

fbuck@scng.com

Vendors who create new foods for the LA County Fair have fresh takes on favorites like corn dogs and turkey legs this year.

The fair runs through May 26 at the Fairplex in Pomona.

Here are seven items that caught our eye, and our taste buds, at a preview held April 30. Most prices were not available, but novelties at the fair typically cost $10-$25. For people seeking discounts, there’s a Fair Value Menu, with most vendors offering snacks or combos at a fixed price of $9.75.

Chocolate strawberry cup

What: Fresh strawberries are covered with dark Belgian chocolate out of a fountain. Customers can also get them with a pistachio cream. Dominic Palmieri, also known as the Midway Gourmet, said this item could be a game changer, joining corn dogs and funnel cakes as standard fair food.

Find it: Palmieri is so excited about these desserts that he’s given them their own booths. Two are in the Fun Zone near the Timber Mountain Slide and the Creep Show dark ride. One is off Broadway near the spa exhibit.

Mike’s Hot Honey Big Daddy Corn Dog

What: Palmieri is going big with hot honey this year, drizzling it on bacon-wrapped pork belly, pickles and turkey legs. The corn dog is a pecan-smoked sausage with batter that’s deep-fried and topped with honey.

Find it: Biggys, which has two locations. One is in the Fun Zone near the Yellow Gate, which is the main entrance. The other is near the Flower and Garden Pavilion on the Hill.

Mini-Me Turkey Leg

What: This item is more of a discount than an outrage. It’s slightly smaller than the turkey legs that most people carry around at theme parks, but Palmieri said he’s selling at a 2015 price, $14.99. He said meat on the smaller bird is tastier and juicer. Customers can get it with hot honey for $2 more.

Find it: Biggys

Fried meatballs and mozzarella corn dog

What: This creation is from Charlie Boghosian, the fair food innovator from San Diego also known as Chicken Charlie. It looks like a traditional corn dog, but underneath the batter is a core of melted mozzarella and meatballs. Samples at the preview contained one meatball, but Boghosian said the items for sale at the fair would have three.

Find it: Chicken Charlie’s, on Broadway near the Grandstand, which is closed this year, and near the Clock Tower

Fire roasted chiles with queso blanco and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos

What: The name pretty much says it all.

Find it: Chicken Charlie’s

Dill pickle lemonade

What: Hot Dog on a Stick serves its signature lemonade at the fair, but this year it will offer a version made with pickle juice and topped with several dill pickle slices. The result is still sweet but a little more tangy than usual.

Find it: Stands are throughout the fairgrounds.

Mac and cheese-stuffed turkey leg

What: Turkey legs are usually handhelds, but this one definitely isn’t. It’s roasted, then butterflied, stuffed with macaroni and cheese, drizzled with barbecue sauce and sprinkled with crisp onions. A smaller, more portable version is available as a smoked turkey leg and mac and cheese sandwich.

Find it: The Ranch, corner of Broadway and Palm across from the Clock Tower

Information: The Fairplex is at 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona. lacountyfair.com