Here’s some of the weirdest, wildest Iowa State Fair foods for 2024

DES MOINES — Being weird doesn’t have to be a bad thing. In fact, it can be something great.

That’s what I told some Iowa State Fair vendors to reassure them when they learned that their new foods would be appearing on my “weird” list this year.

Every year, the fairgrounds synthesize a fever dream of hundreds of flashing lights and flags — all acting as a siren to beckon patrons to countless food stands. But salesmanship can only go so far.

Showmanship is where it’s at. And this year, Iowa State Fair vendors outdid themselves with creative names and a pinch of shock value to lure attendees to their new concoctions.

Here’s a ranking of the seven wildest and weirdest new foods that caught my attention this year. For a more “normal” list of things to try, check out the top 10 new foods voted on by judges in July.

1. Deep-Fried Bubble Gum by Bubbly Bar & Bistro

  Buy Photo

If you try only one thing from the list, let it be this.

This deceptively named dish, which contains no bubble gum whatsoever, delivers a sense of nostalgia and childlike wonder that I search for every time I return to the Iowa State Fair.

Jumbo vanilla marshmallows at the heart of each piece — each resembling the shape of a piece of Dubble Bubble — are coated in a bubble gum-flavored batter and delicate pink drizzle.

Marshmallow sugar, oozing with warmth, rushes to greet your inner child as soon as your teeth sink into it. Smiling notes of powdered sugar play off the classic notes of bubble gum that are hard to articulate. Together, they all jump off the tongue like it’s a bounce house, with an energy adults can only dream of.

Coincidentally, those are the very inspirations that creator Jennie Enloe harnessed as she pursued something youthful, whimsical and entertaining. Her children are big fans of bubble gum — the bubble gum contest is their favorite Iowa State Fair contest each year.

“I’m a big kid at heart,” she said. “This is not something for a restaurant — only for the Iowa State Fair.”

Deep-Fried Bubble Gum tastes exactly how a child thinks the color pink should taste. Yet, it contains no artificial dyes or ingredients, which is an important point for Bubbly Bar owners when they create new things for kids with food sensitivities.

I can get dinner anywhere. But dishes like these offer the kind of feeling that makes it worth my while to find parking, brave the crowds, stand in long lines and pay prices often set with captive audiences in mind.

2. Two-Foot Lobster Roll by JR’s SouthPork Ranch

  Buy Photo

When this pork-named vendor first brought lobster to the fair in previous years, they caught a lot of side eye.

This year, they’ve doubled down on their sense of judgment by making their traditional Maine lobster rolls and their Connecticut variety available in a 2-foot size — longer than the size of most average lobsters.

At $100, there may be some sticker shock. But the roll can easily be shared among four or five people.

“Lobster in Iowa doesn’t make any sense,” said Brooks Reynolds, owner of JR’s SouthPork Ranch. “But now, it does.”

At a picnic table, the monstrosity of a dish drew oohs and ahs from passersby. Ultrasoft brioche rolls, made in house and grilled in butter, glisten as much as the large pieces of lobster meat packed into them.

At this price point, you can see the outline of each claw — there’s no filler. Last year, the vendor sold 3,000 pounds of lobster.

The traditional flavor embraces a light mayonnaise base with shallots, celery, fresh dill and garlic that binds the lobster meat a bit like chicken salad — an element Chef Heith Sheeley thought would endear Iowans to the northeast delicacy. It has a pleasant crunch and cool flavor that is refreshing on a warm fair day.

The Connecticut-style roll is made with clarified butter that extracts the cream to get straight to the point.

“Iowa has a love affair with butter,” Sheeley said, mere steps away from the Butter Cow, “so it’s a natural marriage.”

The traditional style has more variety to its flavor profile, but you can’t go wrong with either one.

3. Ragin’ Raspberry Ravioli by Grater Taters

  Buy Photo

This is a novel take of cheesy goodness, and perhaps not what you’re visualizing.

Ricotta-filled, breaded ravioli is fried to a golden brown and topped with a tangy raspberry chipotle sauce that comes from creator Terri Shell’s grandmother. Over the years, it has served as a versatile favorite she uses “for everything” at home.

Now, she’s letting the rest of us in on the family secret.

The crispy breading holds up well to the sauce, which comes in sharp before mellowing out. It starts out sweet, followed by a short “hello” from the chipotle on the finish, who doesn’t linger for a Midwestern goodbye.

The ricotta, a cheese I tend to avoid, takes on a consistency closer to its Italian cousin, mozzarella, after being fried. It’s a little stretchier and more cohesive, but retains its sweetness.

4. Candied Bacon Gnocchi by Destination Grille

  Buy Photo

I came for the candied bacon, but stayed for the gnocchi.

Inspired by a need for more gluten-free options at the fair, Destination Grille owner Mark Hanrahan came up with this potato-based pasta to satisfy folks in a new way. After all, there’s only so many new things you can do with sugar, salt and fat.

A rich, creamy cheese sauce envelopes dense pillows of gnocchi topped with microgreens. The cheese is thick, savory and binds everything together well.

The bacon, slightly chewy, doesn’t taste as sweet as expected for something called “candied,” but it complements the overall dish well.

If you’re looking for a decent entree that doesn’t feel like junk food, this may be your ticket.

5. Deep-Fried Pepperoni Chips by Bubbly Bar & Bistro

  Buy Photo

At first glance, it lacks a bit of pizzazz. The pepperoni isn’t breaded or battered.

But they’re ultra crispy, with a satisfying crunch that cascades over the convergence of fat, salt and protein. It’s like the edge of crispy pepperoni I like to find on my pizza, except the whole piece is like that.

Creator Jennie Enloe, who owns Bubbly Bar & Bistro with husband Bryan, eats this snack when she’s busy at her pizza parlor by just running pieces through the ultra hot pizza oven.

The boom-boom sauce adds a slightly sweet, peppery dimension, pairing some spice with the well-cooked fat.

As an added benefit, it’s not overly filling, so you have plenty of room for other State Fair adventures.

6. Hot Cheeto Float by Taylor’s Curious Orange

  Buy Photo

“It’s almost like a dare,” said creator Preston Taylor, owner of Monticello-based Taylor Concessions.

I think he’s being too modest. It’s not almost like a dare — it is, legally, a double dog dare.

Inspired to create “the weirdest thing” he could put in a drink, Taylor said the idea came to him at the grocery store when a display of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos locked eyes with him. The end product is a cup of Starry lemon lime soda mixed with a few scoops of Cheeto dust. It’s topped with whipped cream and garnished with intact spicy Cheetos and more Cheeto dust.

Trust me, as a writer, when I say that the first impression is hard to describe. In a deconstructed way, it tastes like lemon lime soda mixed with corn chips and ketchup. The soda itself dilutes the heat of the spicy snack, so don’t let that be the reason you avoid it.

He may be onto something with the combination of whipped cream and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. But the rest of this beverage is not for the faint of heart.

7. Barbie-era Funnel Cake

  Buy Photo

This Barbie makes funnel cake.

Disappointingly, the only thing that makes this “Barbie” is pink sugar and a little flag with pink pumps on top to let you know you’re in Barbie Land.

It’s not overcooked, and the melted white chocolate chips are an unexpected delight. Along with the sugar, it sets an energetic tone that feels like Barbara herself is narrating her adventures at the Fair.

It’s a little one-note. But if you’re in the spirit, or you have kids who would like you to get in the spirit, this may bring out the child in you — even if you’re “just Ken.”

Comments: Features reporter Elijah Decious can be reached at (319) 398-8340 or elijah.decious@thegazette.com.