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State Fair giants on display

brookecain — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 14:55:09 -0400

You may remember that Josh Shaffer wrote about Todd Dawson's giant 282-pound watermelon a few weeks ago -- the one that broke a state record and was only 9 pounds shy of breaking a world record. That melon, grown in Garner, is on display at the N.C. State Fair in Expo Center, along with the Fair's blue ribbon giant pumpkin.

The pumpkin, weighing in at 522.8 pounds didn't break any records, but it's a crowd pleaser. All day long, folks perch on a bench in front of the pumpkin to have their picture taken near the massive gourd. Johnny Tolle, who minds the giants and answers questions about them from fairgoers, says the all-time pumpkin record in North Carolina is 1,256 pounds, and that last year's pumpkin was over 800 pounds. Tolle says the weather this year wasn't ideal for growing pumpkins of the extra humongous variety. The prize pumpkin was grown by Susie Zuerner from Henderson County.

State Fair art exhibit has best 'State Fair Scene'

brookecain — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 14:27:54 -0400

The N.C. State Fair art exhibit had about 2,500 entries this year and awarded an estimated 112 ribbons for groups ranging from elementary school students to professional artists.

The Best in Show prize for State Fair Scene (above) went to Edwin B. Jenkins of Raleigh. Shirl Keith, the hostess of the exhibit inside the Kerr Scott Building, said the 80-year-old amateur artist has been entering art for at least 20 years and this is his first big prize. She said his reaction when he won was: "Finally!"

This Blue Ribbon winner in the Amatuer Photography class (below) went to Brian Potter of Apex. The scene is the site of a Progress Energy substation in downtown Raleigh.

If you haven't been out to the fair yet (there's still time!), be sure to check out all the great art work. It's always one of my favorite stops at the fair.

State Fair attendance on track to top 1 million

brookecain — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 14:19:29 -0400

Saturday’s attendance at the N.C. State Fair was a whopping 146,635, bringing the running total to 903,674. Another day today of gorgeous weather should put attendance over 1 million.

Fair spokesman Brian Long says that pretty much assures this year's fair will be the second-most attended ever. Last year's fair broke records with 1,091,887.

N.C. State Fair: Blue ribbon recipes from Elizabeth Caldwell

brookecain — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 08:54:19 -0400

Elizabeth Caldwell of Zebulon won 7 blue ribbons in this year's N.C. State Fair cooking competitions, along with 2 red ribbons and 1 white. Caldwell's 16-year-old niece Lizzie Drake entered 3 dishes and won blue ribbons with all three. (See list of entries below).

Caldwell was kind enough to share two of her blue ribbon recipes with us here.

The first is a pound cake recipe handed down from her mother. This year is the first time she entered the recipe. The second is a "Baby Ruth" candy recipe she entered this year for the third time. "Baby Ruth" won nothing the first year, 3rd place the second year, and 1st place this year.

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Mama's Pound Cake

1 lb butter (2 cups)
1 lb sugar (2 2/3 cups)
6 eggs
3 cups plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 cup milk

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla to milk. Sift dry ingredients and add to mixture alternately with milk. Pour into greased and floured tube pan. Bake in center of oven for 55-60 minutes at 350*F. When done, cook in pan inverted for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on rack until room temperature. Serve plain or with a favorite glaze.

Baby Ruths

1 cup sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 12-oz jar of crunchy peanut butter
4 cups Special K cereal
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
6 oz butterscotch pieces

In heavy saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup corn syrup. Bring to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and add one 12-oz jar crunchy peanut butter. Stir until completely melted. Add 4 cups Special K cereal and stir till all cereal is covered. Pour into buttered 13x9x2" pan. Combine 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips and 6 ounces butterscotch pieces. Microwave until melted or melt in double boiler on stove. Pour over mixture in pan; score while warm; cut when cool and firm.

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Dishes submitted this year by Elizabeth Caldwell and her niece, Lizzie Drake:

ELIZABETH CALDWELL
First place
Whole wheat yeast bread
Honey spice cake
Plain cookies
Plain mock pound cake
Spice layer cake
Candy (Baby Ruth)
Old fashioned chocolate fudge

Second place
Fruit drop cookies
Peanut brittle

Third place
Chocolate quick fudge

LIZZIE DRAKE (Juniors division)
First place
Honey spice cake
Chocolate fudge
Peanut brittle

All winners can be searched the N.C. State Fair website

Friday's State Fair attendance second highest in 25 years

brookecain — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 11:22:47 -0400

Yesterday's N.C. State Fair attendance was the second highest for the second Friday of the fair in 25 years. 94,314 attended the Fair on October 21, fewer than last year's record of 105,073 but more than the previous 2009 record of 90,166.

State Fair spokesman Brian Long says with good crowds today and tomorrow, the fair could end up with its second-highest attendance total ever, trailing only last year’s record of 1,091,887.

State Fair: Steph's Strawberries is sticking around

brookecain — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 11:18:31 -0400

Reports that Steph's Strawberries at the N.C. State Fair might be wrapping up their last year have been greatly exaggerated. Or least not totally approved by all members of management.

Arnold Emmons, one half of the Arnold and Stephani Emmons of Person County who run Steph's Strawberries, posted a comment on this blog earlier in the week indicating the couple might be looking at their last year at the fair. The problem is, Arnold hadn't really discussed that with Stephani.

When I asked Stephani this morning about the possibility of this being their last year, she had no idea what I was talking about. I explained the blog item and she summoned her husband. Arnold grinned sheepishly and said, "I said 'maybe' didn't I?"

Stephani said they've had their stand at the fair for 28 years and plan to be back next year, selling homemande strawberry shortcakes, bloomin' onions, chocolate covered bacon, and Frito pies. Their stand is across from the Village of Yesteryear, beside the 4-H Children's Barnyard. They usually have a giant inflatable strawberry atop their stand, but their motor is busted today.

If you do stop by and get a shortcake (they are delicious), be advised that they have a little bit of a story behind them this week. Stephani said they ran out of shortcakes so she stopped by the North Point Kroger near the Eno River State Park Tuesday night to buy more flour, and was robbed at knife point leaving the store. Stephani wasn't hurt, but the stand had to close down on Wednesday so they could get all their locks changed and take care of some other business.

Worth a buck? The World's Smallest Woman

brookecain — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 10:30:00 -0400

The World's Smallest Woman is not only real and alive (and really small), she's also kind of charming and a little sad.

I went in to check it out right after Jasmine, 20, from Selma exited. I got the lowdown from her before heading inside myself.

Was it a live woman?

"She's not just alive, she's lively!" Jasmine said. "She may be tiny sitting in that little box, but she's just as real as me and you." (Forgive my skepticism, I had just been here.)

Was she little?

Jasmine: "I could pick her up like she was my little niece. I've never seen anyone that small."

What's she like?

"She's humble and nice," Jasmine said. "She'll tell you all about her life, anything you ask."

You mean, you talk to her? Suddenly, I wasn't sure I wanted to go in. Finally, something at the fair that scared me. I was used to gawking at giant horses, five-legged sheep, a ridiculous spider girl, and fake, mummified chupa cabras. Would I feel like a jerk facing a live person with feelings? (Answer: yes)

But I went in. Sure enough, sitting inside a small wooden box was a little tiny woman. She was wearing a simple dress and a kerchief on her head, sitting on a tiny chair with her hands folded her lap. She looked down at her hands and didn't seem particularly happy. When I said hello to her, she smiled. I asked her name and she said Gloria Rhoden and told me she was from Jamaica. I asked her if she liked sitting there talking to people all day and she answered simply, "Oh, it's a pleasure."

I thanked her and left. But I couldn't stop thinking about her. Mostly, I worried about kids and mean teenagers making fun of her to her face or being rude to her. I'll be honest -- the whole thing has depressed me all week. Then earlier today I Googled her and found this article from a few years ago in the Roanoke Times. In it, Rhoden insists she's happy, and I'm going to choose to believe her, just so I can sleep at night.

So is it worth the $1 admission? Jasmine says yes: "I think it was very worth it!"

I say yes too. Go see her and talk to her, drop a buck or two in her tip jar. Just be nice to her.

Winning recipes from State Fair's "Live Well with Lean Beef" contest

brookecain — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 10:00:00 -0400

We have the recipes for the winners in Friday's "Live Well with Lean Beef" contest at the N.C. State Fair. All entries had to include eat least 3 oz of beef. The contest was sponsored by the N.C. Cattlemen's Beef Council.

The winning recipes were Healthy Skirt Steak over Farro Salad; Vegetable Stuffed Beef Rolls; and Cajun Stuffed Beef with Kale, Potatoes, and Apricot Sauce.

First Place: Wakefield’s Healthy Skirt Steak over Farro Salad
by Shawn Wakefield of Raleigh

1 pound skirt steak
4 ounces red wine vinegar
2 ounces Dijon mustard
2 ounces fresh parsley
2 ounces olive oil
2 ounces prepared pepperoncini
Salt and pepper to taste

Farro Salad
2 cups whole farro grain, cooked per instructions
5 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 ounces fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup good extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
2 pinches of dried red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

Marinate lean beef in red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, parsley, olive oil and pepperoncini overnight. Cook on gas grill over medium hot, flipping after four minutes.

Prepare Farro according to package directions and add the tomatoes, parsley, olive oil, vinegar, red pepper flakes and feta. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let salad sit for four hours to allow flavors to marry.

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Second Place: Vegetable Stuffed Beef Rolls
by Gail Fuller, Raleigh

2 (8 oz.) boneless chuck beef steaks
Salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. spicy mustard
4 pieces roasted red pepper
2 green onion, 6 inches long
1 small carrot - julienned
12 small thin asparagus spears
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic - minced
½ Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. orange marmalade
½ cup beef broth
2 Tbsp. orange juice

To prepare beef rolls:

Pound steaks to ¼ inch thick. Season with salt and pepper on both sides.

Spread each beef piece with spicy mustard and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Layer 2 roasted red pepper pieces on each beef piece.

Place 1 onion and carrot and asparagus equally on each beef piece.

Roll tightly and secure with kitchen string in several places along the length of the roll.

Heat olive oil and add garlic. Stir until fragrant.

Sear beef rolls on all sides.

Add the Balsamic vinegar and wine and baste beef rolls with pan drippings.

Place skillet in 400 degree oven for 8-10 minutes until the beef and vegetables are cooked through.

Remove beef rolls from skillet and keep warm.

To pan drippings in skillet add marmalade, beef stock and orange juice and cook until reduced to a sauce.

Slice rolls, remove strings, and serve with sauce.

(Serves 4)

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Third Place: Cajun Stuffed Beef with Kale, Potatoes and Apricot Sauce
by Jane Dunbar, Raleigh

Yield: 6 - 8 servings
Ingredients

1.5 - 2 pound bottom round Roast of Beef
2 large cloves Garlic cut into 9 pieces
Salt and Black Pepper
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Flour
1 whole hot pepper
5 medium Gold Potatoes, washed and cut into 1½ inch pieces, skin on
6 cups Water
¼ cup Dry White Wine
6 tablespoons Butter

1 cup Onions, finely chopped
8 - 12 ounces (about 8 cups) Baby Kale
1/4 cup half and half or Cream
2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
2 pinches Cayenne Pepper
1/4 cup Pine Nuts, finely chopped
1/3 cup Plain Yogurt
1/3 cup Apricot Preserves (Reduced Sugar)
2 tablespoons Honey
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 300ºF.
Stuff the roast with garlic: Pierce the meat with a knife and insert a piece of garlic. Repeat until all garlic is in the meat, distributing the garlic evenly all over the roast. Sprinkle the roast with salt and black pepper.
Pan-sear the roast in 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium high heat in a medium-large Dutch oven for a few minutes per side, turning it until each side is brown. This locks in flavor.
Add 1 tablespoon flour, the hot pepper, and ¼ cup water to the pot, cover and place it into the center of the oven. Cook for about 1 hour and 45 minutes, or until meat is tender.
Meanwhile in a medium sauce pan, bring about 6 cups of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and boil for about 20 minutes, until tender. Drain the water, splash on the wine, add 3 tablespoons butter, and set aside.
While the potatoes are boiling, sauté the onions in a large frying pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil for about 5 minutes on medium high heat. Add the kale. Stir until all kale is wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the cream, 3 tablespoons butter, vinegar, cayenne pepper, pine nuts and salt to taste. Simmer uncovered on medium heat for 15 minutes or until liquid thickens.
To make the sauce, mix together the yogurt, apricot preserves, honey and cayenne pepper. Add an equal measure of the pan drippings and mix well.

State Fair: New experiences, tips in the loo, a Hipstamatic view

brookecain — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 22:15:39 -0400

Don't miss our stories today on N.C. State Fair first-timers and lifers, and on attendants who keep charge of fair restrooms.

And one of the coolest things I've seen in awhile: photographer Travis Long's gallery of iPhone Hipstamatic images from the fair.

Winning recipes from State Fair's "Pecan Recipe Contest"

brookecain — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 21:55:18 -0400

Below are the winning recipes from the Pecan Recipe at the N.C. State Fair. The contest took place on Thursday. Winning recipes were Cheesy Pecan Cranberry Crisps; Pecan, Sausage and Squash Crumble Pie; Pecan Pimento Cheese Puff Pastry Pinwheels, and Pecan Cranberry Casserole.

The competition was sponsored by the N.C. Pecan Association

First Place: Cheesy Pecan Cranberry Crisps
by Gail Fuller of Raleigh

2 cups Asiago cheese, shredded
1 cup butter
1 dash cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups flour
1½ cups pecans, chopped and toasted
¾ cup dried cranberries

Cream Asiago cheese and butter until thoroughly mixed. In a small bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Mix into butter and cheese mixture until smooth. Add chopped pecans and cranberries. Form into a log and wrap in plastic wrap. Let rest in refrigerator for one hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap dough and slice into ⅓-inch rounds. Place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

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Second Place: Sausage and Squash Crumble Pie
by Lisa Raschke of Raleigh

1 pound sausage
1 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 pounds yellow summer squash, sliced into half moons
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 eggs
1 cup cream
1 ½ cup pecans, chopped
1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown sausage in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Remove the sausage and set aside. Add onions and garlic and sauté 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Add the squash, salt and pepper to the pan and cook 7-10 minutes or until the squash has softened. Combine the sausage and squash mixture and spoon into a 9-inch pie dish.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and cream together. Add the cheese and 1 cup of the pecans. Pour this mixture on top of the squash and sausage mixture.

Combine the remaining ½ cup of pecans, melted butter and breadcrumbs in a small bowl. Sprinkle this mixture on top of the pie. Put the pie into the oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Serve and enjoy!

Serves 6-8

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Third Place: Pecan Pimento Cheese Puff Pastry Pinwheels
by Jennifer Huntington of Raleigh

1 ½ cup pecans
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Monterrey jack cheese
¾ cup mayonnaise
4 ounces cream cheese
2 Tablespoons pimentos
1 Tablespoon honey
1 sheet puff pastry

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together pecans, cheeses, mayonnaise, cream cheese, pimentos, and honey in large bowl. On a lightly floured surface, roll out puff pastry sheet to 11 x 14 inches. Spread pecan pimento cheese mixture on puff pastry and roll up starting with the longer side. Wrap in plastic wrap and put in the freezer for 40 minutes. Remove from freezer and slice in ½ inch slices. Arrange on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until golden. Makes approximately 20 pinwheels.

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Honorable Mention: Cranberry Casserole
by Cindy Smith of Angier

3 Cups unpeeled tart apples
2 Cups raw Cranberries
¾ Cup sugar
1 stick melted margarine
1 Cup uncooked old fashion oat meal (1 minute)
½ cup Brown sugar
1/3 cup self-rising flour
1 cup chopped pecans

Combine the apples, cranberries and sugar. Place in a loaf pan or 8 x 8 baking dish. Mix together the margarine, oatmeal, brown sugar, flour and pecans. Spread on top of the apple/ cranberries mixture. Add about 3-4 tablespoons water on top. Bake 350 for 1 hour uncovered.

Winning recipes from State Fair's "Tar Heel Pork Challenge"

brookecain — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 21:48:05 -0400

Here are the winners in the Tar Heel Pork Challenge at the N.C. State Fair. The winning recipes were Roast Pork with Bacon Jam Glaze, a Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp and Grits Appetizer, a Fall Pork Casserole, Sizzlin’ Sicilian Stuffed Pork. The contest was sponsored by the N.C. Pork Council.

First Place: Roast Pork with Bacon Jam Glaze
by Jennifer Huntington

2 pounds pork loin
½ pound sliced bacon
½ cup onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
¼ cup dark brown sugar, packed
¼ cup maple sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Arrange slices of bacon on a baking sheet lined with foil. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and cook bacon for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove bacon from oven and drain, reserving one tablespoon to the fry onions and garlic. Pour tablespoon of bacon fat into a frying pan and add in onions, garlic and brown sugar. Sauté on low heat for five minutes. Add the apple cider vinegar and maple syrup. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, or until glaze begins to thicken. Transfer onion mixture and bacon to food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees again. Rub salt and pepper over outside of tenderloin. Glaze with the bacon jam glaze. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until pork is no longer pink in the middle and a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees.

Serves six.

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Second Place: Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp and Grits Appetizer
by Katherine Ball/ Jeff Jur/ Paige Presler-Jur

Shrimp from the pure North Carolina Coastal waters. Dairy from the farms of the Piedmont. Sausage from the coastal plains Down East. A hint of honey from the Blue Ridge highlands. Celebrate all the goodness the Old North State has to
offer, atop a crunchy round of cheese grits wrapped in a curl of savory bacon.

This Carolina finger food promises to make the weak grow strong and the strong grow great, indeed. Serve with a chilled beer from one of North Carolina’s artisan breweries, and enjoy with friends, both old and new.

Ingredients:

Cheese grit cakes:
1 cup heavy cream
1 c. skim milk
1 c. chicken broth
1 c. water
1 c. Crook’s Corner grits
1 c. shredded hoop cheese
1 Tablespoon butter

Honeyed Bacon Curls
1 pound bacon, medium sliced
1/4 c. honey

Shrimp:
2 links mild Italian-style sausage (12 oz.)
1 1/2 pound small shrimp, peeled
1 Tablespoon flour
¼ c. heavy cream

Cheese Grit cakes:
Bring first four ingredients to a boil in a 2-qt saucepan. Add grits while stirring. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add cheese and butter; stir and remove from heat. Pour grits into a buttered 9 x 13 cake pan and chill about 30 minutes, or until solid.

Remove pan from refrigerator, run knife around edges of grits, and flip onto cutting board. Using a 1 ½” round cutter, shape grit cakes. Arrange cakes on generously buttered cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for fifteen minutes; flip grit cakes, and cook for 30 minutes more. Grit cakes should be golden brown on each side.

Bacon curls:
Brush strips of bacon lightly with honey. Trim about 2” off bacon strip (excess bacon can be crumbled over leftover grits cakes for breakfast.) Fry bacon in batches in skillet until browned. Working quickly, remove from pan with fork and wrap each strip around an upside-down muffin form. Allow to cool.

Shrimp:
Brown sausage links in a skillet (casings removed). Remove sausage from pan, and sauté chopped scallions in sausage drippings. Reduce heat to medium low. Add 1 T of flour and stir. Let roux simmer until browned. Gradually add ¼ c of heavy cream and stir until slightly thickened. Add peeled shrimp, and stir until pink.

Assembly:
Arrange one shrimp on top of each grit cake. Top with spoonful of sausage gravy. Wrap each bite-sized cake with bacon curl, and garnish with scallion.

Serves 4-6

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Third Place: Fall Pork Casserole
by Mary Lou Mitchell

2 pork tenderloins (1 pound each)
6 to 8 slices of bacon
½ head green cabbage
½ head red cabbage
-total cabbage should be 6 cups of chopped cabbage
½ stick butter
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 cup sour cream
3 large apples, sliced
3 large onions, sliced into rings

Wrap tenderloins in bacon and brown in a frying pan. Salt and pepper to taste. Then place tenderloins in Dutch oven and cook at 325 degrees until a meat thermometer reaches 160 degrees. While tenderloins are cooking, place cabbage, butter, lemon juice and sugar in a heavy bottom pot and cover. Cook on low heat to steam the cabbage.
In the same pan that you browned the tenderloins and using the bacon drippings, add your onions and cook on medium heat to caramelize. Then add your apples and cook on low until tender.

Remove the pork from the oven and allow to rest for a few minutes. During this time, increase the heat for the cabbage to medium high and allow the liquid to reduce. This will be a very short time. When the liquid is almost gone, stir in the sour cream.

Remove all the vegetables from the heat and keep covered.

Place vegetables and apples on a platter side by side, slice the tenderloin and place on top of the vegetables. This is a meal that goes well on those first cool nights in fall. I serve it with cornbread.

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Honorable Mention: Sizzlin’ Sicilian Stuffed Pork
by Felice Bogus of Raleigh

1 Tbs. olive oil
½ lb. Italian sausage
3/4 c. chopped cooked spinach
4 Tbs. fresh breadcrumbs
4 Tbs. golden raisins
4 Tbs. pignoli nuts, toasted
3/4 c. shredded provolone
2 1/2 lb. center cut pork loin, butterflied
1 lb. bacon
1 c. Marsala wine
½ c. chicken stock
2 Tbs. unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 350°. Heat 1 tsp. oil in a medium skillet over high heat. Remove casing from sausage and crumble meat into the pan. Sauté until sausage is browned and no pink remains. Drain and let cool.

In a bowl, mix together sausage, spinach, breadcrumbs, raisins, pignoli nuts, provolone, 1 tsp. oil, and salt and pepper to taste.

Carefully pound pork loin to an even thickness, about ½-inch thick. Salt and pepper both sides of meat. Spread the stuffing over the meat and roll into a roulade. Drape bacon slices over loin and tie with kitchen string to hold closed. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add remaining oil. Cook roulade, turning, until outside is browned. Place loin in a roasting pan and cook about 1 hour, or until meat reaches an internal temperature of 140°.

Remove pan from oven, place pork on a cutting board, and cut off string. Let rest 5 – 10 minutes before slicing.

While meat is resting, prepare the sauce. Remove excess fat from the roasting pan, leaving behind the brown bits. Place pan on burner over high heat and add Marsala and chicken stock. Bring liquid to a boil, scraping the pan with a spoon to bring up the brown bits. Cook until liquid is reduced by half. Remove from heat and swirl in the butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over the sliced pork to serve.

Serves 6

State Fair attendance down a bit from last year

brookecain — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 19:56:09 -0400

Attendance at the N.C. State Fair has been down a bit so far this year, at least compared to last year's record attendance.

Most days, not by much, but Wednesday's rain was a killer. Attendance was lowest that day, down about 20,000 from last year on the same day. It's really not fair to compare anything to last year, when the fair drew almost 214,000 more visitors than the year before, and 268,000 more than the average attendance over the last ten years.

Thursday's attendance on Food Lion Hunger Relief day (aka "free can day") was 112,822 (same day in 2010 saw 125,573, but in 2009 it was 108,929).

The fair still has two big days left -- the final Saturday and Sunday. The final Saturday is always the biggest day of the year, and there's great weather on tap.

UPDATE: Friday's attendance was the second highest for the second Friday of the fair in 25 years. 94,314 attended the Fair on October 21, fewer than last year's record of 105,073 but more than the previous 2009 record of 90,166. More...

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TOTAL ATTENDANCE 2010
1,091,887

AVERAGE ATTENDANCE (2005-2009)
875,892

AVERAGE ATTENDANCE (2001-2010) (*includes years with only 10 fair days)
823,782

Milking a cow at the fair tops little girl's wish list

brookecain — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:46:15 -0400

Milking this cow at the N.C. State University Animal Science Club’s Milking Booth may be the highlight of this little girl's trip to the fair.

Isabella, who is 6 1/2 years old, practiced milking her cow alongside her 5-year-old sister Vivian, under the watchful eye of an NCSU student volunteer.

Isabella, who only really likes a little chocolate milk or milk in her cereal, said it felt funny but she liked it a lot. The next time she sees milk in the grocery store, she says she'll think, "I'm gonna milk a cow again."

Vivian is the milk lover in the family. "I love milk," she said. She's also psyched for more cow-milking in the future.

"This is the whole reason they wanted to come to the fair," their mom said.

Isabell and Vivian came to the fair today from Holly Springs.

You can milk a cow for $2 at the Expo Center at the fair.

Old-timey mock tobacco auction Friday at State Fair

brookecain — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 13:54:46 -0400

If you're at the fair on Friday (October 21) you might want to check out an old-timey mock tobacco.

There was a tobacco-tying contest last Friday at the fair (Janet Jackson, Terry Jackson and Curtis Jackson of Zebulon won the top prize; Nancy Stewart, Susie Allen and Gary Watson of Benson took second place). The tobacco was tied to sticks and put up in a barn at Heritage Circle to cure, and it's been curing there all week.

Tomorrow at 2 p.m. they'll take the tobacco out and hold a mock auction. Retired auctioneers and retired buyers are coming in for the demonstration, which will show folks how tobacco used to be sold (today, instead of auctions, tobacco is sold through contracts between tobacco companies and farmers).

Winning recipes from State Fair's "Apple Recipe Contest"

brookecain — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:00:00 -0400

If you can't win a State Fair Apple Recipe Contest with something called "Caramel Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Rolls," you might need to hang it up. No problem for Mary Boury of Knightdale. She scored bigtime with the judges on that one and brought home the first place prize. Check out her recipe and other winners below.

North Carolina Apple Growers Association

Apple Recipe Contest

Monday, October 17, 2011

First Place: Mary Boury, Knightdale

Caramel Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Rolls

1 loaf frozen dough white or wheat (Rhodes), thaw as directed, let rise until doubled, then punch down and let rest 10 minutes.

Roll out on a 12 x 8 floured board

Spread Cinnamon filling:

1/4 cup soft butter

½ cup sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Caramel Sauce:

18 caramels

2 Tablespoon half and half

(Place in microwave until melted)

Spread filling onto dough.

Top with 2 cups very thinly sliced apples such as Honey Crisp.

Roll up and slice into 2” sections, place in a greased 9 inch round pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. Cool slightly and pour caramel sauce over the rolls.

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Second Place: Donna Barefoot, Benson

Country Apple Ham Pizza

1 package crescent rolls

1 cup chopped NC apple (red and yellow delicious

2 teaspoons sugar

Dash of salt

3 Tablespoons margarine

1 cup large NC Wine Sap Apples, cut into 3 thick slices

3 Tablespoons pecans, chopped

3 Tablespoons dried cranberries

4 Tablespoons country ham (cooked) and chopped

¼ cup blue cheese, crumbled

Place crescent rolls points toward the center, in a pizza pan and press together to form crust. Cook chopped apples, sugar, salt and margarine for 5-7 minutes for the sauce. Spread the sauce on the dough. Place sliced apples on top of sauce. Top with pecans, cranberries and ham. Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

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Third Place: Felice Bogus, Raleigh

Apple Pancetta Frittata

8 large eggs plus 2 large egg whites

1 Tbs. olive oil

3 oz. pancetta, diced

1 medium leek, rinsed well and thinly sliced

2 large NC-grown apples(such as Mutsu, Fuji, or Gala), peeled, cored, and sliced into 1/8-inch-thick pieces

Preheat oven to 450°.

In a medium bowl, beat together eggs and egg whites. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

Heat the oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Sauté pancetta until crisped, about 5 minutes. Remove pancetta with a slotted spoon and reserve. Add leek and sauté and additional 1 – 2 minutes.

Stir pancetta and leek into beaten eggs and pour eggs into the skillet. Let eggs begin to set, about 1 – 2 minutes and arrange apples on top of eggs.

Place skillet in the top third of the oven and bake until filling is set and top begins to brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and slide frittata onto a cutting board. Let rest 5 minutes before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Honorable Mention: Chris Braxton, Durham

Apple Sausage Balls

2 cups NC grown apples (Honey crisp were used in the winning recipe), chopped fine

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 ¾ cup country sausage (16 oz.)

1 ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese – June Hoop cheese if possible (NC Ashe County Hoop Cheese)

½ cup smoked Gouda cheese

2 Tablespoons maple syrup, molasses or honey (maple syrup was used in the winning recipe)

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon allspice

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)

Mix all together with your hands or a mixer to combine and roll into walnut size balls. Place on baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Seniors get serious at the fair's Wii Bowling Tournament

brookecain — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 16:32:17 -0400

Some folks get to cover the ACC and NCAA tournaments. I get the Senior Wii Bowling Tournament at the State Fair. And that's okay, because this was pretty fun. The mood at yesterday's tournament was always friendly, but the competition was still fierce.

The winner was 65-year-old Clecy Durham (left) from the Tower Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Raleigh. I didn't see every single toss he made, but every time I was looking he either threw a strike or a spare. And he said Wii Bowling is not even his best game -- that would be Wii Golf.

I'm betting he's back next year to defend his title.

Here's the full story about tournament and about the other big Senior Day festivities at yesterday's fair.

Army's brass band performs at the fair today

brookecain — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 16:24:50 -0400

If you were at the Fair today, I hope you got a chance to check out this brass band from Fort Bragg that Martha Quillin wrote about in today's News & Observer. I heard them today and they are amazing! They're playing again tonight at 6 p.m. so if you're heading out there, go by the Waterfall Stage for a listen.

Worth a buck? Spider Girl, alive with eight legs!

brookecain — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 16:16:27 -0400

Okay, if that lady in there is a real spider, so am I.

The most interesting thing about this "show" is that apparently, enough people go in to see it to justify it being included in the Powers Great American Midway lineup each year.

This looks to me like a tiny tiny woman in a plush spider suit. And when I say "plush" I mean like a stuffed animal. I could see putting someone in a real looking spider suit and at least making me feel a little creeped out (I'm TERRIFIED of spiders), but this was so fake and harmless looking that it was funny. They don't even try to make it look real. Oh, it's a real "live" woman's head, but it's either sitting on top of a spider suit or that woman's body is stuffed inside it.

I asked the Spider Girl if she could move any of her eight legs. "No," she answered. "They have me tied down pretty tight here." Sure they do. I mean, wouldn't you?

I was checking out the spider girl with Shirley and Earlene from Caroline County, Virginia.

"I don't think it's real," Shirley said. "I can't believe it would be." Shirley thought there might have been an optical illusion that hid the woman's full body. Possible. (I just can't get over how little effort they put into making the spider suit look remotely real!).

"She's a midget," Earlene pronounced. Period.

But is it worth the $1 admission? Remarkably, they both said it was. Even if just to satisfy their curiosity. So there you go. That's how they make the money. Not by trying to fool us into believing it's real, but by making us curious enough to confirm what we already pretty much know: there's no such thing as a woman with the body of a spider. Thank God.

Winning recipes from State Fair's "Quiche Contest"

brookecain — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 10:05:56 -0400

Here are the winning recipes from The Incredible Edible Egg Quiche Recipe Contest, which was held yesterdray at the State Fair.

First Place: Gail Fuller, Raleigh

Shrimp and Grits
Crust
2 cups water
Dash of white pepper
1 tablespoon onion, dried and minced
¾ cup quick cooking grits
1 large egg, beaten
Filling
1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup shrimp, coarsely chopped
1 cup smoked sausage, thinly sliced (Hillshire Farms Hot was used in the
winning recipe)
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
½ cup onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
½ teaspoon celery seed
4 eggs, beaten
1½ cups half and half
For the crust, preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a two-quart saucepan,
bring water, salt, dried onions and white pepper to a boil. Slowly
stir in grits. Return to a boil. Cook for five minutes or until very
thick, stirring constantly. Remove pan from heat. In a small bowl,
combine a small amount of cooked grits with beaten egg. Add back into
saucepan with cooked grits blending thoroughly. Spread grits mixture
in bottom and up sides of a lightly greased pie plate. Bake in
preheated oven for 25 to 25 minutes or until edges are lightly browned
and crust is firm.
For the filling, sprinkle the bacon, shrimp, smoked sausage, onion and Swiss
and cheddar cheese over the crust. In a small bowl, mix eggs and half
and half thoroughly. Add parsley, garlic, Old Bay seasoning, celery
seed, salt and pepper. Pour cheese mixture over crust and bake 55 to
60 minutes in a 350-degree oven. Cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving

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Second Place: Domino Ireland Raleigh
Tortilla a la Espanola (Spanish Quiche)
Serves 6
Prep Time: Approximately 30 minutes
Cook time: Approximately 45 minutes

Ingredients

½ cup olive oil
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
½ teaspoon each dry spices: garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder
and ground oregano
Pinch of cayenne
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoons clarified butter
2 sweet Vidalia onions, sliced into rings
6 eggs
3 dashes green Tabasco sauce
¼ cup roasted pimento peppers, drained and cut into small chunks
½ cup pimento cheese
¼ cup chopped Spanish Serrano ham (can substitute prosciutto)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

Preparation

Heat ½ cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the
potato slices, and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender,
about 18 minutes. Place potatoes in a large bowl, reserve oil in the
skillet. Gently toss potatoes with dry spices, cayenne then salt and
pepper to taste. Meanwhile, heat clarified butter in a skillet over
medium heat. Stir in onion rings, and gently cook until soft and
golden brown, about 15 minutes. Spoon onions onto a plate, and allow
to cool. Whisk eggs in a large bowl with Tabasco until smooth. Stir
in cooled onions, roasted peppers, pimento cheese and Serrano ham.
Gently fold in cooked potatoes.

Heat the skillet with the reserved oil over low heat. Pour in the egg
mixture, and gently cook until the sides have started to set and the
bottom has turned golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Loosen the tortilla
with a spatula if needed, and then carefully slide onto a large plate.
Turn the skillet upside down and place onto the uncooked side of the
quiche. Turn the skillet right-side-up, and remove the plate. Return
the skillet to the stove, and continue cooking until the quiche has
set in the center, about 4 minutes.

Slide the quiche onto a serving plate and allow to cool until quiche
is room temperature. Cut into six wedges and sprinkle with Italian
parsley to serve.

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Third Place: Lisa Raschke, Raleigh
Southern Style Quiche Lorraine
(Serves 6-8)
8 slices of your favorite bacon
3/4 cup diced onion
2 cups collard greens, stems removed and finely chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
6 eggs
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup sour cream
1 cup grated Swiss or Gruyere cheese (Gruyere was used in the winning recipe)
½ cup parmesan
1 refrigerated pie crust (such as Pillsbury)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Roll the dough out to a 12-inch circle.
Place the dough in a 9-inch pie plate and crimp the edges. Bake the
crust for 7 to 9 minutes or until light golden brown. Turn oven back
to 375 degrees.
Cook bacon in a large sauté pan until just crisp. Set the bacon aside
and add the onions to the bacon grease in the pan. Sauté the onions
for 5 minutes, or until translucent. Add the collard greens, salt,
and pepper to the onions and sauté another 10-15 minutes until the
greens are tender.
Add the eggs, whipping cream, sour cream, and cheese to a bowl and
whisk it until it is well combined.
Crumble the bacon and layer it into the bottom of the crust. Then add
the collard greens. Carefully pour the custard mixture over the bacon
and greens. Then place it in the oven for 45 minutes or until a
toothpick comes out clean.

Free fair admission on Thursday

brookecain — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 19:37:08 -0400

This Thursday is Food Lion Hunger Relief Day at the fair, which means you can get in free that day if you bring four cans of Food Lion brand food to the gate.

All of the food collected goes to the Food Bank of North Carolina.

Last year's canned food drive collected 247,569 pounds of food, which equals 208,479 meals. NC Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler says this year's goal is 300,000 pounds of food.

If fairgoers break last year’s record, the fair will donate $1,000 to the food bank. If collections top 275,000 pounds, the fair will kick in $2,500. And if collections reach 300,000 pounds, the fair will donate $5,000 to the food bank.

Food bank personnel say each dollar collected helps fund four meals. A donation of $5,000 would fund 20,000 meals.

So if you're able, go ahead and toss a 5th (or 6th) can in your sack when you head out Thursday!

****
Speaking of feeding the hungry ... The Pork Chop Shop, which has been a fair staple for more than 20 years, is donating a portion of this year's proceeds to The Food Effect, a campaign co-sponsored by the N.C. Pork Council, which supports North Carolina food banks in an effort to fight childhood hunger in local communities. You can also donate to the campaign through The Food Effect website.

The Pork Chop Shop is located between Dorton Arena and the Education Building, near Gate 1.