Stampede food you might actually die for
Holly Triebwasser
Staff Writer
I went to the Stampede this year with a mission: to eat.
That’s usually my mission, but this year was different. With a group of friends in tow, we attacked the grounds with the goal of finding the most unique and greasy foods the Calgary Stampede had to offer. After experimenting with roughly six different deep-fried delicacies, we were starting to feel a little ill.
Here’s what we had this year in order of consumption (not counting the cheese nachos, fudge, cotton candy or Pineapple Whip).
Mini Donuts
First things first – mini donuts! Isn’t that everyone’s first stop? With a price of $5 for two bags, this is probably the sweetest deal in the park. Washed down with a root beer, this is the best snack in existence.
Deep-Fried Mac and Cheese
Hidden away by the Nashville North tent, these golden little wedges are crispy, glistening with grease and filled with macaroni noodles. Although a little less cheesy than anticipated, they were still gone in a matter of seconds.
The Colossal Onion
A flowered onion, battered and dunked in a vat of oil, coupled with a spicy side dip. While charging $10 dollars for an onion is morally wrong, at least you get the entertainment of watching the grease rain from your onion before it’s served to you.
“Spiral” Spuds
If you’re not broke after buying the Colossal Onion, the same food vendor also sells deep-fried chips – or Spuds as they’re actually called – topped with sour cream, chives and bacon bits. You can get the spuds spiraled on a stick or the old-fashioned way in a paper cup, which is easier to eat since the oil tends to weigh them down.
Lemonade
I don’t like lemonade but these drinks were deliciously refreshing after hours in the sun or hours of pizza and corn dogs, which is probably why almost every person on the grounds seemed to be sipping on one. They come in different flavors – cherry, lime and iced tea – and have a whole lemon tossed right in.
Deep-Fried Oreos
After failing to find the deep-fried Pop-tarts, we settled for a food vendor that sold other deep-fried desserts: snickers, Oreos, kool-aid, cheesecake and shortcake. From the outside the Oreos look just like the deep-fried mac and cheese, but topped with chocolate syrup and icing sugar. They kind of taste like the mac and cheese too, but with a chocolatey kick.
Love it! I did try the oreos and mac and cheese and loved them both. Don’t think the onion sounds very a-peeling, so I saved myself some money – which I gambled away at the slots on the way home!
That pretty much sums up the “food” at the Stampede, if you can call if food! But we keep going back for it – WHY???
Fantastic review! I heard on the news today that you can get a wagon wheel and a chocolate milk for a buck. That might be the best deal on the grounds, but not nearly as tasty as the king-of-the-ring mini donuts.