Taste of the PNE 2014

Here we are again, another year of the PNE!  Although wandering throughout the Showmart tempted in purchasing a broom or some mixer is something that I look forward to every summer, it is really all about the food.  In years past, the selection of food was pretty much predictable and unchanging.  However, in more recent times, there seems to be newer and bolder options that range from tasty-to-just-plain-weird.  Well, without further ado, here are some of the new things we got to try as part of our media tour.

Our first stop was at Unroutine Poutine where we were treated to a Parisian Poutine with braised beef, Kennebec fries, cheese curds, red wine gravy, sauteed mushrooms and crispy onions.  This ate as good as it looked with crispy and starchy fries which were bathed in a silky gravy that was more akin to a demi.  There was a real hit of wine flavour albeit a touch salty.  The buttery mushrooms were nestled within big chunks of moist beef.  Off to our next destination, we went with something sweet with the Cannoli King.  As the name suggests, we were presented with sample sizes (half-portion) of a hand-rolled Cannoli filled with sweetened ricotta cheese, almonds and chocolate chips.  OMG, this was freakin' fantastic as the thin crisp shell gave way to a super creamy and light ricotta filling.  It was purposefully sweet with an almond finish.

With cannoli still on my mind, we sauntered over to Pennsylvania Dutch for yet another one of their wacky fried creations. In the past, I've tried their fried Jelly Bellys and Oreos with varying degrees of satisfaction (loved the Oreos, the Jelly Bellys not-so-much).  This year, they've decided to fry cubes of Cookie Dough in batter.  Although these were crispy outside and not particularly greasy, the partially melted cookie dough was a bit too sweet for my taste.  Across the way, we headed over to Revolution Corn where we sampled their 3 options including Canadian Corn with butter, maple syrup and bacon, Classic Roasted Corn with butter and salt and Cuban Corn with spices, mayo, cheese and lime.  For me, I like things simple and enjoyed the sweet crunchy pop of the classic.  However, the Cuban was the most interesting with a fragrant cheesiness accented by the acidity of lime.

Moving along, we visited one of the icons of the PNE, who has been around for 47 years - none other than Hunky Bill's.  You might think the stuff here is so well-known, there wouldn't be any surprises, but they've come up with Gluten-Free Perogies. I was apprehensive at first because my experience with many gluten-free products have been on par with eating stale bread.  However, these fried dumplings weren't bad with a crispy exterior and not overly hard dough.  The cheesy filling was impactful and just right in consistency.  But...they should've drained the grease as there was enough oil to moisturize one's face.  Next door, we visited Gourmet Burgers as we did last year.  Among the burgers I sampled were the duck and kangaroo.  Due to the lean meat, these were predictably dry.  They did have distinctive flavours though.  Eventually, I just had to try the Kitchen Sink with top sirloin beef patty, fried egg, ham, bacon, onions, mushrooms, lettuce, mayo, sharp cheddar, BBQ sauce and Provolone cheese.  Although the patty was not exactly juicy, due to the wealth of ingredients, the burger was not devoid of moisture and ate messy.

Our last 2 stops were of the sweet variety beginning with Cin City Donuts in the Showmart.  Hey, there's that broom I wanted!  Anyways, we were served samples of their 5 different Mini-Donuts including strawberries & whipped cream, Canadian maple syrup & bacon, s'mores, chocolate sauce & powdered sugar and classic cinnamon sugar.  I found the donuts to be more cakey than the other kind found at the fair.  The outside had an appealing light crispiness.  Finally, we ended up at The Roaming Dragon to try their unique Cotton Candy in mango and lychee flavours.  Being made of sugar, these were naturally sweet, but the flavours of the fruit did come through, especially with the lychee.  So there you have it for 2014 food at the PNE.  Glad to see that it isn't only about foot longs and soft serve anymore (although I still love those too!).

*All food was complimentary as part of the media tour*

PNE Eats 2012

Like many Vancouvrites, my yearly schedule always includes a visit to the PNE. It's not so much that I really need to reload my supply of Sham Wows or mops, rather, I go for the food. Of course, there are the usual places such as Whales Tails, C-Lovers, Curry-in-a-Hurry and the lot. However, over the years, there have been more and more different food options. In particular, the "anything-you-can-put-in-a-deep-fryer" variety. Back in 2009, I tried the fried Jelly Belly as well as the fried Oreos with the latter being better. I was all set to head to the PNE with food on my mind when they came a-callin', literally. I was invited to sample some of their new hot items with other media on a rainy morning. But before that, I am literally going to get ahead of myself and fast forward to the end of the media tour where we were craving something savory after sampling only sweets.

Since we were right next to the BBQ stalls, I headed over to Smokin' Babes, where they were serving up big racks... Er... Anyways, this was the continuation of my BBQ mission from last years PNE where I was only able to hit up 3 of the 5 vendors. I went for their $22.00 platter which included 4 pork ribs, pulled pork and brisket. Sadly, this was my least favourite as the meats were really dry, especially the brisket. The sauce was zesty, tangy and sweet, which was quite appetizing, but that didn't help save the stringy pulled pork. The ribs were slightly better as they were fall-off-the-bone, yet hardly tender. If one likes a drier BBQ, this would be it. The very next day (I'm really out of chronological order here...), I went and tried out the last stall being Smokin' Guns. Unlike everyone else, they did not have any brisket. Rather, they had a beef and pork rib combo for $23.00. I added a pound of pulled pork for $6.00. This meat monstrosity was my favourite of the bunch. The pulled pork was moist, not oversauced and tender. And the sauce was a good balance of sweet and smoky with a hint of spice. The pork ribs were moist, well charred and had a nice bark. The same could be said about the beef bones as they were not dry at all, yet had a nice exterior bark which was chewy and smoky. Only downside was the big pool of oil from the all the meats especially the pulled pork. I realize there should be fat, but this was a bit unappetizing.

A visit to the PNE would not be complete without a simple fry bread called Whales Tail (or elephant ear, beaver tail or a interpretation of bannock). My son loves it only with Parmesan. He was wanting another once he finished. There is something about a piece of fried dough which soaks the paper towel it is on... But hold on, he can't just eat fried bread... So we picked up a plate of Perogies from Hunky Bills (yah, much healthier eh?). These fried carb-heavy dumplings were oily, sweet (from the onions) and buttery. The dousing of sour cream and side of sausage qualified it as fair food. I'm glad we did a fair bit of walking as I could feel the calories pile up.

Okay, back to the media event... Meeting up with some of the regulars (Sean, Kevin and Alvin), we set out towards the Showmart to sample Monkey Butter. This is a small business originating out of Vancouver producing an all natural peanut butter in an array of gourmet flavours. I got to sample the Bacon Peanut Butter and I could really taste the difference. It was not too sweet, a bit runny and very peanutty. As Michelle (from the Georgia Straight) stated, it could've been heavier on the bacon. Heading out from the Show Mart, we made our way to a familiar vendor - Pennsylvania Dutch (where I had the fried Jelly Belly and Oreos). This year, they put a spin on their funnel cake by adding maple and bacon (hmm... a bacon theme going on here). Of course, the funnel cake was as good as it has been in years past being crisp and light. The addition of maple syrup and what appeared to be Costco bacon bits, contributed a sweet and salty slant. I also got to sample their new item which was the Fried Wagon Wheels. Predictably sweet and gooey inside, it reminded me a of a fried smores. Definitely not a diet food (am I repeating myself?).

Around the corner, we were led to a brand new vendor, Powers Chocolate, which featured 2 chocolate fountains where skewers of fruit and treats were covered in silky dark and milk chocolate. I sampled both the chocolate-covered strawberries and the peanut & chocolate covered mashmallows. I liked how the chocolate didn't rely on sugar for flavour. Rather, it was not too sweet and had a nice sheen, indicating it was higher quality. I was surprised that even the marshmallow covered in chocolate wasn't overly sweet either. From a newbie to a classic, we headed over to La Casa Gelato for some samples. Although I have certain preferences for gelato in Vancouver, there is no denying the popularity of La Casa at the PNE. We sampled 2 of their new offerings in Durian and Maple Bacon. Durian is an acquired taste which I can most accurately describe as having a fruit gaminess. It is definitely sweet and aromatic, but can be off-putting to some. As for the Maple Bacon, it was more maple than bacon (what's with the maple bacon theme?).

Lastly, we stopped at Granny's Foods that were offering Fried Cheesecake and the interestingly named Fried Kool Aid. The cheese cake was wrapped in a tortilla of some sort and fried. The result was a partially melted cheesecake. It was creamy and full of cream cheese flavour though. As for the fried Kool Aid, think of them as Kool Aid flavoured fritters. Interesting to say the least. Well there you have it, another year of the PNE and an another year of eating really healthy food... I guess the indulgences go hand-in-hand with the PNE. Much like car accidents and Richmond...

Food @ the PNE 2009

Where can you get something that slices, dices and a ShamWow to go with it? Wait, how about 2 ShamWows if you are one of the first 30 customers? How about spending $50.00 trying to win a $10.00 prize? What about spending too much money for mediocre food? I know, how about waiting in line to see a home that you will never win? Yes, all of this and more can be found at the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) year after year. I've been a regular every year since my dad brought me as a kid. Now, we continue the tradition with our kids. Some people might think the PNE is a waste of time and money; but despite my aforementioned questions, I look forward to it every year. Hey, we bought a $30.00 lint brush. Where else can you be suckered into something like that??? Moreover, the PNE will always have a place in my heart because this is where Viv and I "met". Well, I actually found out she worked at the PNE and decided to get a job there to get to know her.

My plan of attack today was to arrive early and snatch a close parking spot. With parking spot secured, we trekked up to the McD's and had a leisurely breakfast. Did you know they are using a different type of hash brown? It's significantly less greasy; yet it is extremely pale and tastes like cardboard. I see an upcoming revolt. Anyways, we finished up and made it to Playland near opening time. My son was quite enthusiastic about the kiddie rides and I had to go with him on some. Do you know how hard it is to squeeze my 6'1 frame into the helicopter ride? Hey, at least he had a good time. He had such a good time, we almost missed the Superdogs show. On our way to the Coliseum, I stopped by Whales Tails Fry Bread like I always do. Every year, I get what is essentially a fried piece of dough similar to Bannock. I know there are Beaver Tails in Lonsdale Quay and Grouse Mountain; but it always tastes better at the fair. I really do not know why we watch Superdogs every year, it never changes! Hey, we still watch it and we somehow end up on the "Bow Wow" team every time. For some reason or another, I get the craving for a foot long hot dog during the show.

I did just that after the show, a foot long hot dog for $6.00. Really, it's nothing more than a really long hot dog with some grilled onions. But we get it every year (sounds familiar eh?). We picked up a Deluxe Cheeseburger with Fries at Jimmy's Lunch as well. I'm not sure what is the big deal about these burgers anyways. It's a thin burger patty in between some processed cheese, lettuce, tomato, fried onions and bun. I guess it's the onions that make the burger? The fries were not really all that good either. Picked up a slice of Pizza from Guido's for my son and being the picky kid he is, he barely touched it. Wanting something more but a bit different, I went in search for grub. I stumbled upon some Smoked Turkey Drumsticks and Roasted Corn at "Corn and Potatoes". Yup, some of these food joints at the PNE do not have really creative names. I do like Curry in a Hurry though! I first had a smoked turkey leg at Six Flags in California and have been craving it ever since. There is something primal in holding onto a large drumstick and gnawing on it like a barbarian. The roasted corn was ever-so-sweet; but predictably was bit overcooked.

Somewhere in here we need a beverage right? Well, to help quench my thirst from the salty; yet very tasty turkey drumstick, I went in search for lemonade. Despite there being one right around the corner from where I was eating, I walked all the way back to Corn and Potatoes. Right next to them is a lemonade stand which is a bit different than the other ones around the PNE. At this one, they squeeze the lemon right in front of you into the cup. Also, the lemonade is not sweet whatsoever. Refreshing and less calories! Yah, like you can actually watch your calories at the fair! After eating lunch, we settled in for the Bobs & LoLo show for the kiddies. Honestly, what's the deal with this? 2 grown women singing songs, I don't get it. Well, the kiddies liked it at least.

With the show over, we headed over to Those Little Donuts. My former place of employment! Well, a long time ago that is... These donuts are best when eaten fresh from the cute little fryers. Soft, warm and sweet, these are a fair favourite. What goes well with donuts? Soft-serve ice cream of course! Not really; but I got some anyways. Again, it's one of those things I get every year, even though it's only soft-serve. It is really rich soft-serve and it's the same friendly ol' lady who runs it every year. Alright, the eating was going to stop with the ice cream; however, I had second thoughts. I figured that I really should try the Fried Oreos and Fried Jelly Beans at Pennsylvania Dutch Funnel Cakes. You know what, despite how scary they sound and look, the Oreos were pretty good. It's almost like a donut with an Oreo stuffed inside. Soft and warm, it was sweet treat. The jury is still out on the jelly beans. It is essentially a fritter with Jelly Belly. Biting into it, the crispy fritter gives way to the soft fruity Jelly Bellys. Wasn't exactly my cup of tea; but I'm sure someone will like it. Here I am writing this post shortly after I got back home from the PNE. Since the fair is only 2 weeks long, I decided to fast track this post (so ignore the date of this post). I only wish I had some Pepto right now...

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly:
- You can buy usesless items at the Showmart
- You can watch dogs run around at the Superdogs show
- You can eat food that would make McD's look healthy
- You can lineup for the roller coaster for an hour
- You can spend $100.00 at the Midway and end up with an ugly multi-coloured dinosaur
- You can "win a house, win a car"
- You can walk around with a mop at the PNE that you bought earlier in the day
- You can see farm animals urinate and poop right in front of you
- You can see a lot of crying children
- You can see a lot of crying husbands
- You can get a sno-cone and regret getting it
- You can go play bingo