EAST IDAHO EATS: Eastern Idaho State Fair food edition

BLACKFOOT — One of the most memorable parts of the Eastern Idaho State Fair is the food, which can include everything from the sweet and savory, to the weird, wacky and yet delicious.

Concessionaires gather each year to cook and compete to see whose dish will win or clog hearts.

Tyson Smith from Creamy Creations took first place for the Best New Sweet Item. He and his family have worked on a new invention called the “Peanut Butter Explosion on a Stick.”

“It is a peanut butter pie concept. We layered it with a rich, fudgy chewy brownie on the bottom, with a creamy peanut butter center loaded with chopped peanuts, and then we topped all of that with fresh whipped cream, cream cheese and loaded with Oreos,” Smith said.

One of the standout fair dishes is Outlaw Catering Co.’s “Rebel Burger,” which also came in first for Best New Entree. It combines a hamburger with the components of a gooey Philly cheese steak all slapped between a glazed doughnut for a bun.

Last, but certainly not least in the winner lineup, is Sweet Temptations’ “Toffee Tumbler.” This delectable eat was voted as the best of the best food at the fair in the Fairest of the All category.

“It is a dough made from scratch… It has a homemade caramel sauce over top of it,” baker Jolene Secrist said. “Then you get a dopple of cream cheese frosting with more toffee bits, and then you get fantastic soft serve ice cream with it.”

This year’s theme for the fair is “Eat, Drink and Be Happy.” It will run form Saturday, Sept. 3, to Sept. 10. For schedules and fair information go to fair website.