It’s pickle-palooza at the South Florida Fair this year!
Walk around the South Florida Fairgrounds in West Palm Beach long enough and you’ll spot everything from pickle doughnuts, pickle pizza and dill pickle-flavored pork rinds to dill pickle lemonade and Pop Rocks-covered pickles.
Looks like it’s finally time for the pickle to shine in all of its vinegar-soaked-veggie glory. So if you’re a fan, you’re in luck because the fair is still going through Jan. 28 and you can pick from plenty of pairings to customize a pickle-themed, three-course meal, complete with a tangy drink to wash it all down.
Here’s what we found in our explorations.
BEVERAGES
- Pickle juice shots: Kick off your pickle feast with cold shots of raw pickle juice served in a test tube ($3). Find them at the Fat Pickle booth next to the Sea Lion Splash show outside the Expo East building. (Of course, pickles are also available.)
- Dill pickle lemonade: Fresh lemonade is a popular beverage at the fair, but Miller Food Concessions is shaking it up. You’ll find them near the main entertainment stage pouring dill pickle lemonade in addition to the classic flavor. Brandon Haze has been making the drink since the concessionaire starting selling it two years ago. He uses dill pickle-flavored water, lemonade and ice, and tops it off with dill pickle chips for crunch. “I’d say it’s an acquired taste in a good way,” Haze said. Loxahatchee resident Dena Starling and daughter Ellie first tried the unique drink last year, calling it “unbelievable,” and were looking for the booth on the fair’s opening night this year. They quickly ordered a regular-sized cup for $10. (The 64-ounce version is $20). “We were hooked,” Starling said. “We tried making it at home, but it wasn’t the same.”
APPETIZERS
- Pickled pork rinds: Grab a bag at Sparky’s Pork Rinds in Yesteryear Village ($10). They are fresh, light, crunchy and sprinkled with dill pickle-flavored seasoning to spark your taste buds. You can choose plain or with other savory seasonings, including ranch, Old Bay and barbecue.
- Pickle on a stick: Head over to Shockley’s Food Service on Country Way (near the Dueling Pirates High Dive Show) to order a giant kosher pickle on a stick ($5), or kick it up a notch by having it wrapped in a Fruit Roll-Up, dipped in chocolate and rolled in either Pop Rocks, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos or Fruity Pebbles cereal ($12).
MAIN COURSE
- Pickle pizza: Angela’s on Main Street has been serving up pizza at the fair since 1993. Also known for its giant 1/4-pound mozzarella cheese stick, Angela’s has added pickle pizza to its lineup. Made with a white garlic sauce base and mozzarella cheese, covered with dill pickles and drizzled with ranch and dill seasoning, it has quickly become a favorite among fairgoers. On opening night, Loxahatchee resident Jane Martinez rushed over to the booth to order a slice for $7. She said she had called ahead to make sure the pickle pizza would be on the menu after a hiatus last year. “I tried it as a joke at first, but it’s really good,” Martinez said. “I like the tanginess along with the sauce and cheese.”
- Gourmet grilled cheese: New to the fair this year, Big T’s Concessions has fired up the griddle on Country Way to make its gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches with a variety of fillings, including dill pickles, ham, jalapeños, maple bacon and french toast, and peanut butter and jelly. Watch as they fold melted cheese over the toasty bread and slide it into a container with a small side of tomato soup for dipping. The sandwiches range in price from $8 to $12.
DESSERT
- Dill pickle doughnuts: Also located on Country Way, Fluffy’s Hand Cut Donuts has found a way to merge dill pickles into its lineup, which is filled with sugary, glazed goodness. Their dill pickle doughnut ($8) is a slight departure from that, though, as it’s “savory, not sweet.” Hand-cut, yeast-raised dough is topped with whipped dill pickle cream cheese, pickle chips and sprinkled with dill.
DON’T WANT PICKLES?
Of course, for foodies who are not pickle fans (or are in need of a savory or sweet palate cleanser in between all those pucker-inducing pickle treats), the fair has you covered with traditional carnival fare — funnel cakes, steak tips, gyros, ice cream, corn dogs, ribbon fries, fudge, nachos, kettle corn and turkey legs, among others.
If you’re looking for something that merges sweet and smoky flavors, here are two over-the-top offerings to consider:
- Honey Bunny Curd Burger: Shockley’s Food Service on Country Way takes a flame-grilled hamburger, smothers it in a blanket of cheese curds, tops it with lettuce and tomato, and places it between two honey buns for $16.
- Bacon cinnamon roll: It’s not hard to find Grandma Brown’s Gourmet Cinnamon Rolls. Just follow the smell of fresh-baked goods made with pecans, caramel and apples to Main Street. In the window, warm pans of bread pudding and pecan rolls await. Bacon fans can have the best of both worlds with their cinnamon rolls packed with bits of bacon on top ($10). Prices for other items range from $8 to $10.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: South Florida Fair
WHEN: Through Jan. 28
WHERE: South Florida Fairgrounds, 9067 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach
COST: Regular gate admission is $15 on Monday through Friday (except on $2 Tuesdays) and $20 on Saturday and Sunday. Kids age 10 and younger are admitted for free.
At the gate, ride wristbands are $30 on weekdays and $45 on the weekend. A Gold Access pass available at any ticket booth allows riders to move to the front of the line. Cost is $12 on Monday through Thursday and $20 on Friday through Sunday.
General parking is $10 and premium is $20. Cash or cards are accepted.
INFORMATION: southfloridafair.com
