Southern Agenda—Oct/Nov 2011

A Fair Food Fight
Dallas, Texas, September 30–October 23
Tilt-a-whirls, Ferris wheels, and 4-H exhibits are part of the fun, sure. But the real draw at the State Fair of Texas is the endless buffet of artery-clogging food. No surprise, considering that the corn dog—the granddaddy of all fair foods—was reportedly invented for the 1942 fair by Neil and Carl Fletcher. Back in 2005, fair organizers decided to immortalize modern-day fried food innovators with the Big Tex Choice Awards, named for the fifty-two-foot-tall cowboy that presides over the grounds. The annual contest challenges concession vendors to create one-of-a-kind snacks, and let’s just say that nothing is out of bounds here. Past honorees have introduced the world to the pleasures of chicken fried bacon, deep-fried butter, fried Coke, and, yes, even fried beer. Sample the newest creations—cholesterol count be damned—when fair gates open on September 30. This year, organizers have even introduced a GPS-enabled app that pinpoints food vendors across the fairgrounds, so you need not miss a single greasy bite. bigtex.com

Alabama
Eating Local

Birmingham may not be the capital of Alabama, but there’s no question the Magic City is the state’s food capital. Dedicated to showing off the city’s wealth of homegrown talent, the advocacy group Birmingham Originals puts on Break N’ Bread (October 9). A slew of Birmingham’s finest restaurants—including hometown heavyweights Hot and Hot Fish Club and Little Savannah—will host menu tastings at Railroad Park, a new nineteen-acre urban oasis smack in the middle of downtown. Sample to your heart’s content—and then decide where to make reservations. birminghamoriginals.org

Arkansas
Farm Fresh

Since its genesis in 1998, Outstanding in the Field has been pairing talented chefs with forward-thinking farmers, while whisking curious eaters out of the supermarket and into the places where their food is actually grown. This fall, the roving guerrilla-
style dinners make their long-overdue Arkansas debut. On October 15, you can join chef Lee Richardson and host farmer Jody Hardin at Scott Heritage Farm, just outside Little Rock. Tour the nineteenth-century Scott Plantation settlement before sitting down to enjoy a meal showcasing the farm’s heritage-breed hogs. The following day, Mississippi chef John Currence and a crew of eight guest chefs will hold forth at Keith and Jill Forrester’s Whitton Farms in Tyronza. Grab a seat while you still can. outstandinginthefield.com