Paste’s Guide To Weird Summer Food

With summer officially making its appearance and cranking up the heat, the days are getting longer and our appetites are growing larger. If you’re looking for reasons to celebrate, there are plenty of them. From day-drinks to beach days, the summer makes us eager to indulge in the sinful treats the season has in store. Summer is the time for state fairs, carnivals, festivals, fireworks and delectable and sometimes daring food. This is the season where anything on a stick rules.

1.The Funnel Dog

Do not gasp in fear of this intriguing delight. The love child of a hot dog and a funnel cake brings joy and wonder into the palates of many, with sugary sweetness sprinkled on top, cut with the salty hot dog in the middle. Look for it at Flyers games in Philly or your local state fair.

2. Beer Floats

This one is for adults only. If it’s a float you want and don’t feel like pouring soda over your ice cream, sub it out for the official drink of summer: beer. Try a Guinness or your favorite stout and vanilla ice cream. Or chocolate. Or caramel…

3. Deep Fried Pizza

People really love pizza. According to the Department of Agriculture, “on any given day, about 13 percent of Americans eat pizza…one in six guys between the ages of two and 39 ate it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner today.” Next time, instead of grabbing a typical slice, rethink what’s about to hit your taste buds and give it a flavor overhaul. Try the sinful specialty dish over at New Jersey’s The Vault: the Vaultinaro. This deep fried pizza is not once, but twice baked, first fried then topped with marinara sauce and fresh mozz and baked to perfection. Don’t count your calories on this one.

4. Ice Cream Burger

One dish to arise out of the Florida State Fair that leaves fair goers scratching their heads, er rubbing their bellies, is the “ice cream burger.” This burger is topped with bacon, cheese, and deep fried ice cream battered with cinnamon and cornflakes. Seriously. Debuted by Carousel Foods in 2011, this salty yet sweet treat is sure to knock your socks off.

5. Pickle Pops

Yes this is exactly what it sounds like. Craving a cold ice pop? Try one of these on for size. Pickle Pops are made from pickle juice and are probably the only (relatively) healthy food that’s on this list.

6. Infused Cotton Candy

Who wants cotton candy that tastes like cotton candy anymore? Not the folks at Cotton Cravings located in Atlanta. This team is infusing cotton candy with things you wouldn’t think to be in your cotton candy like apple pie, cinnamon buns and French toast.

7. Deep Fried Beer

It’s beginning to feel like anything can be fried these days. From jellybeans to Twinkies, have your pick of the glorious goodness of fried foods. Over in Texas they are really taking this up a notch and starting to deep-fry their alcohol. A state fair specialty is deep fried beer with pretzel dough and mustard sauce to top it off. Anything is possible.

8. Chocolate Covered Bacon

Bacon has been having a moment lately and it probably won’t stop anytime soon. The amount of bacon merchandise that exists will stun you and probably make you wonder “why?” To satisfy your salty and sweet craving all at once, munch on some chocolate covered bacon to get the job done. Delicious and easy to make.

9. Donut Burger

Who needs buns to top their burgers when you could have donuts? Dubbed the Luther Burger after Luther Vandross who supposedly created this treat, this burger is held together with two glazed donuts in place of buns. Perfected by Crave Real Burgers in Colorado, look for their additions of bacon, eggs, cheese and onions.

10. Kool Aid Pickles

Known to some as the Koolickle, this Southern staple is probably the weirdest one on this list. It’s simply a pickle soaked in Kool Aid. Do it right and it even turns Kool Aid red. What more could you want from a summer treat?