Two newcomers to my list this year. If you’re heading to Plant City, don’t eat the foods you can easily find the other 51 weeks of the year. Live a little. Try something unique that is a once-in-a-lifetime creation by one of the fair food aficionados. I spend most of my time at Mama Jane’s truck. Her creations have been featured over a dozen times on Carnival Eats on The Cooking Channel and she always whips up something new for the Florida Strawberry Festival. Several years ago she made what, until this year, was my all-time favorite fair food: Funnel Bacon on a Stick. This year, she outdid herself. But there are many must-eats… from Smitty’s Corn Dogs to Amish Doughnuts, here’s my list you can listen to on your drive to Plant City for the 2021 Florida Strawberry Festival.
I’m going to warn you. These are addictive. Buy these on your way OUT of the Florida Strawberry Festival. Do NOT buy them first or you’ll eat the whole bag and not have any room for the next 9 gotta have foods.
An underrated offering. I’ve only spotted these once and tried them after a listener recommendation. You’re going to have enough sugar today… this is a good way to start.
We eat french fries all the time with our daily drive thru lives, but Fiske french fries are legendary for a reason. They are never frozen. Homemade makes a big difference.
After years of visits to Plant City, last year I finally tried the strawberry pizza. I always thought it was a typical pizza with strawberries on top… which honestly sounds terrible to me. But this dessert pizza is excellent.
Amish doughnuts were the first food I fell in love with at the Florida Strawberry Festival. Simple but oh so good.
Just watching the glaze drip off the doughnuts is hypnotizing.
The first of what would become many bites over the years. Notice how much thinner I was before I discovered these.
It’s not the most inventive bacon creation. That’s coming up later on my #1 pick. But still worth a dip.
Seek these out. I LOVE cheese curds. If you’ve ever been to Canada, they’re so fresh they sell them at room temperature where they have the nickname “squeaky cheese” because they squeak when you bite in to them. So so good.
The next best thing? Fried cheese curds. Be sure to get the dipping sauce too. We’re not going for healthy here.
I know for many, strawberry shortcake is a must. To me, it’s too easy to get great strawberry shortcake this time of year anywhere in Tampa Bay.
But nonetheless, it can be argued that a trip to Plant City without having strawberry shortcake is just plain wrong.
If you’re going to go the strawberry shortcake route, it’s best to make your own. Head to the Saint Clement’s tent!
If you like more strawberries, pile ’em on!
But if you’re like me and want to overdo it with whipped cream, have at it!
The sweetness of a freshly glazed doughnut enveloping a juicy salty off the grill burger? I’m so in.
There are a few spots that sell these, but I like the booth that’s on the northeastern most part of the Festival.
And yes, you can have them put a strawberry on top.
But honestly, I’d rather have it accompanied by bacon!
Beautiful isn’t it? My #2 pick is actually the last food on this list you can get at the Florida Strawberry Festival this year.
Before we get to #1, the #1 item that WOULD be #1 on my list has been sadly retired. “Mama Jane” Harris created this several years ago for the Florida Strawberry Festival. She normally creates something new every year, but this was so good, my listeners and I forced her to bring it back for 5 straight years.
Mama Jane takes a piece of bacon and slides it on to a skewer stick. She then dips it in her secret funnel cake recipe batter and fries it to a beautiful golden brown. She then tops it with powdered sugar and your choice of either chocolate, caramel or maple butter glaze. She didn’t give the choice the first time I tried it… she put the maple butter glaze on. And that’s when I learned to trust the expert. It’s probably my favorite food anywhere. It’s breakfast on a stick.
I am far from Mama Jane’s biggest funnel bacon on a stick celebrity fan. Country music stars have raved about it. It’s even been featured on Carnival Eats.
Look at all that glorious bacon! Mama Jane takes a piece of bacon and slides it on to a skewer stick. She then dips it in her secret funnel cake recipe batter and fries it to a beautiful golden brown. She then tops it with powdered sugar and your choice of either chocolate, caramel or maple butter glaze. She didn’t give the choice the first time I tried it… she put the maple butter glaze on. And that’s when I learned to trust the expert. It’s probably my favorite food anywhere. It’s breakfast on a stick.
I am sad to say it won’t be back this year. HOWEVER… Mama’s NEW creation sounds like a fair foods masterpiece… are you ready for #1?
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