We tried a new deep-fried decadent treat at the Kentucky State Fair. Here's what we thought

When you think of the Kentucky State Fair, fried food probably instantly comes to mind.

You can’t go to fairs such as this one, held through Sunday at the Kentucky Exposition Center, without wafts of funnel cakes and elephant ears, two of the original deep-fried goodies you’ll always find near a Ferris wheel.

Fried options, whether it’s chicken, mac-and-cheese, or peanut butter cups, have ballooned in recent years.

That’s plain to see based on the colorful signs for International Catering’s anchoring stand inside the South Wing’s food court.

Among about 50 menu items, the vendor serves deep-fried versions of Oreos, Twinkies, and Snickers. There’s something to order no matter what mood you’re in, with items such as footlong hot dogs, hot Cheetos covered with cheese, meatballs on a stick, spaghetti, lobster rolls, chicken and dumplings, fish tacos, and sweet corn.

“The thing with food is, no matter where you go, you’re going to eat,” Mike Doran, owner of International Catering, told the Courier Journal.

For most of the last 50-plus years at the fair, the vendor had added one or two new items to the long list of options.

The Kentucky Clucker, a fried chicken sandwich topped with pickles, pimento cheese, and hot sauce, made its debut in 2023.

This year, Doran's booth will serve the Smoke Show, a smoked meatloaf sandwich with pepper jack cheese, mayonnaise, and fried pickles, all served on a brioche bun.

And he kept the fried food fun going with deep-fried marshmallows.

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After the fluffs of sugar are plunged into a fryer, they are generously sprinkled with more sugar, of the powdered variety, and drizzled with a good deal of chocolate. Patrons get a nice portion, including three doughy, and slightly messy, dressed-up mallows.

Our verdict? Delicious.

You could pair it with a beer, frozen lemonade, or International Catering's specialty cocktail, a creamsicle bourbon slushie.

In honor of the Kentucky State Fair’s 120th anniversary, The Courier Journal featured the decadent s’mores-inspired item in the latest installment of our video series, called the “Best Thing I Ate This Week.” You can follow along each week by visiting Instagram.com/courierjournal.

Reach food and dining reporter Amanda Hancock at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: New food item at Kentucky State Fair is a deep-fried decadent treat