Fair foods: You better come hungry

Roll up your sleeves and break out your pants with the elastic waist band, the fair is in town and that means one thing: food.
 
The fair, which runs through Sunday, has everything from bratwurst to zucchini, but it can be a bit overwhelming if you don't have a game plan.
 
First, scout the area.
 
There's nothing worse than sitting down to eat and noticing your neighbor has something delicious that you didn't even know was out there.
 
If you walk the grounds, you'll notice there are many different types of food. And every booth has a specialty.
 
So the best way to find out what's good? Ask.
 
Ask the vendors what they recommend. Or even better, ask the people eating nearby.
 
It's a great way to navigate your way through the fair food goodness. Also, it's fairly easy to find your favorite dish because the majority of the food booths are grouped near each other on the west side of the fairgrounds.
 
On opening day, I went on a journey to find the best treats the Yuma County Fair has to offer.
 
I didn't get to it all, but I assure you, there's something for everyone and all of the local booths donate to a good cause.
 
First up was the Rotary Club booth, where I sampled a BBQ sandwich the size of my hand. The shredded beef is juicy and the bun is fresh. You can add your own BBQ sauce at the condiment stand, and it adds that special kick.
 
You can get the giant sandwich and a soda for $8. And it's more than enough food for one person.
 
Before the BBQ is served, it's cooked between five and six hours, and Rotary member Jeff Kammann said the guys cooking it work all night long to make sure there's enough meat.
 
This year, they'll cook 1,500 pounds of deep cut (shredded) pork, 1,500 pounds of the tri-tip pork and 2,500 pounds of their famous Kammann sausage, which will yield about 10,000 links.
 
The Kammann sausage, a Yuman favorite, is absolutely delicious. It's wonderful blend of pepper and spice that creates a subtle heat that takes just a minute to creep up on you.
 
And after more than 50 years, the Kammann family recipe hasn't changed at all.
 
But be careful, it's well-guarded.
 
"I could tell you the recipe, but I'd have to kill you," Jeff Kammann, grandson of sausage pioneer Walt Kammann told me over a link Tuesday morning.
 
After coming from Germany, the Kammann's brought the recipe to Wisconsin and then Yuma. And it's been a staple at the Rotary Club booth since the mid 1950s. Proceeds from the Rotary booth go toward youth activities and scholarships in Yuma.
 
Next, I tried the chicken strip dinner at the Elks' booth.
 
Volunteer Doris Lucas said the Elks lowered the price on their food this year because of the decline in the economy.
 
The chicken strips, three to a dinner, are lightly breaded and friend golden brown. The dinner comes with fries that are also cooked perfectly - not too soggy, and not overdone.
 
Yumans Scott and Pat Pray came to the Elks' booth Tuesday specifically for the chicken. Scott had the chicken strips and Pat had the three piece chicken dinner.
 
And the Prays say they come just for the chicken and make it point to stop by the Elks' booth at least once or twice every fair week.
 
"The food's always good here," Scott Pray said.
 
The chicken strip basket with fries, including a side of ranch or other dipping sauce and a drink is $6.
 
Proceeds from the Elks' booth help a children's hospital in Tucson and they make food baskets for families at Christmas. The proceeds also help the Elks purchase clothing for children at Christmas time.
 
Even further down the fair-food hole, I stopped by the Shriners booth for their specialty, the loaded baked potato.
 
For $5, it's a meal in itself.
 
Volunteer Elizabeth Dispoto sums it up best.
 
"It's like food from the Gods," she said.
 
This "masterpiece" comes topped with butter, sour cream, cheese, chili, bacon bit, chives, salsa and jalapenos - and believe me, it's a lot of food. Only the very brave should attempt to tackle it alone.
 
It's a wonderful explosion of flavors and textures. The creamy cheese and sour cream combined with the crunch of the jalapenos is the perfect combination.
 
It's a challenge, but what a fun challenge it is.
 
The Shriners, which support the 22 Shriners in North America, donate proceeds from their booth to the hospital in Phoenix and help provide transportation for children to the various hospitals.
 
Starting to slow down and wondering if I'll make it through my quest for fair food deliciousness, I stop by the Knights of Columbus booth and met Grand Knight Danny Castro of Council 9378.
 
Castro recommends the "Yuma Brat," so of course, that's what I'm having.
 
The Knights slice the bratwurst down the middle and add a pickle spear, then top it with sauerkraut and mustard.
 
You can get a good sized brat, a dinner salad, fries and a drink for $6.
 
Castro said the group is the only one at the fair that makes the brat, and it's definitely one of the most unique flavor combinations I experienced all day. The crunchy, tart pickle spear is delightful when paired with the flavor-packed sauerkraut and brat. The mustard comes on the side, but I highly recommend topping the brat with it, it makes the taste complete.
 
The Knights also have a southern favorite, fried zucchini. If you're never had fried zucchini, you're missing out, and the zucchini at the Knights' booth is some of the best I've had.
 
Proceeds from the Knight's booth go toward $500 scholarships for students at Yuma Catholic High School.
 
By now, my hunger has hit a definite plateau so I take Pat Patterson's word on the catfish at the American Legion Post 19 booth.
 
The meal comes with two fried catfish pieces, coleslaw and hush puppies for $6, with a drink, the meal is $8.
 
Patterson said he loves the catfish. He said it's lightly breaded and has a good fish taste to it.
 
The American Legion uses the proceeds to fund $1,000 scholarships for area high school students.
 
The next booth I stopped by was the Sunrise Optimist Club, which sells Mexican food.
 
Yuman Susie Hancock stopped by Tuesday to get a folded taco.
 
"I look forward to them every year," Hancock said.
 
The number 2 meal is a popular choice at the booth, with four folded tacos, rice and beans for $8.75.
 
Proceeds from the Optimists Club's booth go toward essay contests, contests to help children learn how to speak in public, as well as other youth programs.
 
The folded tacos are light and crunchy overflowing with beef, lettuce and cheese spilling out the top. I managed to eat a half of one before I had to give up. It was good, but I had one more food item on my list before my journey through the fair was complete: the cinnamon roll.
 
The famous cinnamon roll.
 
Jim Parkhurst, or Pismo Beach, Cali., has 54 pound bags of cinnamon roll mix lined up against the wall of his booth, located in the commercial building. He brought 75 bags with him to Yuma and said they yields a lot of cinnamon rolls - so many he doesn't count any more.
 
The price ranges between $3.25 for an original to $5.50 for a roll with three toppings.
 
Parkhurst said the most popular rolls are the original topped with frosting and the pecan-topped roll.
 
Parkhurst and his family have made the rolls since 1974 and travel to various fairs and sell the delicious, sugary treats along with their mix, which yields about 9 rolls and costs $5.
 
I'm glad I saved a little room for the roll, because, like the fried zucchini it was one of the best I've had. The cinnamon/sugar to dough ratio was outstanding, and it would be a great treat anytime.
 
I had a lot of great food on my journey through the Yuma County Fair, but my favorite part was talking with the people.
 
From the vendors to the patrons, it's a wonderful place to meet and mingle.
 
Find a seat next to some strangers at a picnic table and try something new - I promise you'll get a good meal and have a good time.
 
For more information about the fair, visit www.yumafair.com.

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See more coverage of the Yuma County Fair and Jr. Livestock large animal results.