ok, just one more thing to love about iowa.

The Iowa State Fair starts Thursday. I love the state fair. Who doesn't like fried [insert any food here] on a stick? But the best part? Definitely the cow made out of butter. Actually, what I love most is watching the steady stream of people making their annual pilgrimage. Last year they also had Tiger Woods sculpted out of butter (with a tiger, of course, in case you couldn't figure it out). This year, Superman. Expect a full discussion next week.

My question is, what do they do with the butter after the fair? Sure seems like a waste. You know, that butter could cover a lot of toast. Or maybe you could run a car on it — just so long as you could figure out a way around that whole solid-at-room-temperature problem. But I must say, it would be the quintessential alternative fuel for the upper Midwest. That and pork fat. Yummy.

I think I may be on to something.

Comments

[Papa Bradstein]

That is something to love.

Another thought: there's always a lot of kettle corn at any worthwhile fair. What would be better than some melted butter on some oily kettle corn?

Not much.

(Other than the obvious batter, which you would apply immediately before deep frying the kettle corn.)

Do they also sculpt soybean plants out of tofu?

[andrea]

One year they had a butter Garth Brooks. I'd like them to have a butter Condi Rice next year.
The State Fair is pretty amazing. I'm one of those nerds who actually LIKES going through the barns and seeing the horses and cows, sheep, etc. I especially like seeing all the different breeds of chickens. Sooo exotic for a city girl like me.

[CroutonBoy]

David Foster Wallace wrote an essay on the Iowa state fair which absolutely killed me...hilarious. I used to love the Minnesota state fair, which wasn't much different (also butter sculptures, and sheep with HUGE testicles). Anyway, if you can find it you should check it out...

[dear wife]

Oh andrea I always have to go through all of the barns. I love all the different chickens. I have always loved the irony of going to look at the animals and then eating them served on a stick. A butter Garth Brooks, that would have been great.

[samantha Jo Campen]

I was under the impression that Garth Brooks WAS made of butter. And none of that Margarine crap; just pure butter. Huh.

[Henitsirk]

Aaah, butter. One of my favorite foods (not being sarcastic). Luckily you can't use it as biodiesel or those cows would be working overtime.

I used to love the California State Fair in Sacramento...the freaky chickens, the alpacas, the pig races! Plus once I got to milk a goat, pretty good fun for a suburban girl.