George Geary’s Fair Foods is a delightful culinary journey that brings the excitement of fairground snacks into the home kitchen. This vibrant cookbook showcases a wide array of classic fair foods, from sweet treats to savory delights, offering recipes that are both approachable and fun.

Geary’s writing is engaging and informative, providing not just recipes but also anecdotes and insights into the history of these beloved fair foods. Each recipe is clearly laid out, with helpful tips and variations that make it easy for cooks of all levels to recreate the magic of the fair at home. The book is filled with mouthwatering photographs that tempt the senses and inspire creativity in the kitchen.

The range of recipes is impressive, covering everything from corn dogs and funnel cakes to cotton candy and deep-fried delights. Geary’s playful approach encourages readers to experiment and enjoy the process of cooking, making it a perfect addition for those looking to spice up their gatherings or simply indulge their cravings.

Overall, Fair Foods is a fun and whimsical cookbook that captures the spirit of fairs and festivals. It’s a must-have for food lovers and anyone looking to bring a taste of nostalgia into their kitchen.

Great book of Fair Recipes. Deep fried Twinkies. Deep fried butter and Oreos too. Onion rings. Funnel cake. It is all in here plus a few I had not heard of before reading this book.
Each recipe lists the ingredients and the cookware required. Each recipe is broken down into easy to follow steps.
I have made the onion rings and can tell you they are spot on compared to the fair. Ditto Deep fried Oreos.
I will make more of these recipes. And recommend this book to my friends.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me this ARC.

State Fairs are one of my favorites fall activities! This book has recipes so you can recreate them at home. Super fun to read. I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review

This was a fun cookbook that connected me to many fond fair memories. I love the recipes, illustrations and commentary about each edible adventure.

Who doesn't like fair food?

Yum. We all like fair food. Since we can't always pop over to the nearest fair, this cookbook gives us the opportunity to whip up a favorite tasty bite at home, on our timeline.
Recommend.

Delicious and (not) nutritious! This is a fun exploration of local fair foods throughout various states. Deep fried, unique twists, and cultural favorites. I will definitely be buying this one for myself since fair foods have gotten ridiculously expensive, I’ll just make my own funnel cake burgers at home, thank you very much!

This was an interesting compilation of snacks, meals and treats typical of country fairs and festivals. From the classic apple pie to newcomers such as friend Oreos (and everything in between), this book has all kinds of indulgent treats in store.

Such a great book! If you love everything about fair foods, you will love this book! Get it or be sorry!

This is a great recipe collection for anyone who wants to host a fair or just loves fried fair food. So much fun just waiting to happen here.

We absolutely loved this fun cookbook so much. We love our times at fairs and carnivals and always want to have those exciting foods at home. This book had so many creative recipes and we wanted to try them all. Along with fun history the detailed recipes were so easy to follow, even for a novice like me. Each recipe had a description along with detailed ingredients and step-by-by instructions. The photography leaves you mouth watering and ready to try every single recipe. We had so many favorites like Fried Coca-Cola, Cake Pops, Coney Island Chili Dogs and Ice Cream Shakes. My positively favorite were the Deep-fried oreos. I loved being able to try recipes from fairs across the country that I wouldn’t normally get to enjoy. We received this as an ARC but have to have a copy for my house and parents. It makes a great gift idea. Create some fun summer adventures with this cookbook and your family. I highly recommend you try this one out together. Enjoy the adventure.

This book is the answer to anytime you've tried something at the fair & wanted to try it again at home. There are recipes for everyone and every taste. I would enjoy trying the drinks and some of the meals. The idea of a pickle dog has me intrigued. It just sounds interesting.

Beautiful cookbook, with lots of delicious looking recipes. Most of them do seem like foods one might find at a fair, but some really don’t. I don’t remember seeing muffins or scones at the fairs I’ve attended, and many of the main course type dishes just seem too fancy for a fair. And I wish there’d been a little more history included about fairs and fair foods.

Photos make the food look so good. I found a few recipes that I am excited to try, which is a big deal. I do not know how to cook and even simple recipes are sometimes difficult for me. But this book had a few that looked fun and easy enough I can do them.

4 stars

Everybody seems to put their healthy eating aside when they attend the local or state fair, and for some reason the foods served at fairs taste fabulous. Celebrated chef, educator, bestselling author, and contest judge, George Geary has compiled his favorite foods served at fairs across America in his cookbook, Fair Foods: The Most Popular and Offbeat Recipes from America's State and County Fairs. This excellent cookbook has recipes for decadent, fattening, fun foods that everyone will actually want to make and eat.

Professional and mouthwatering photographs are included for most (not all) of the recipes, which makes the cookbook fun to peruse and fun to choose just what cooks want to create. The recipes are written in the traditional manner with a list of ingredients followed by step-by-step instructions. Each recipe is headed by comments from the author, who has a sense of humor and adds notes that are helpful.

The recipes include treats that are offered everywhere, like Funnel Cakes and Deep Fried Twinkies, but also includes goodies from regional fairs like Deep-Fried Butter, Pickle Dogs, Deep Fried Pizza Logs, and Pork Chops on a Stick. There are also sweets like Maple and Bacon Donuts and Caramel Kettle Corn.

All told, this book is absolutely fun and has dozens of snacks and treats that will be fun to serve at get togethers and parties, or just a night with family. Fun! Fun! Fun!

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

Special Thanks to Netgalley and Santa Monica Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun cookbook filled with many different recipes, some of which are my tried and true favorites and others that I have never heard of or had. The steps are easy to follow and the pictures add great visuals to the book. I would highly recommend,

The basil pesto coleslaw is reason to buy this cookbook alone. Easy to make and so flavorful. This book is just delightful.
If you love local fairs, this is the book to help you recreate your favorites. I would reach for this over and over for parties at our house.

A collection of recipes from county and state fairs. Many you will have heard of but many more are new.

Absolutely awesome! So many great and favorite fair foods that you don't have to wait all year to try or have. I loved the pictures. The recipes were easy to follow. It was interesting to see the different foods from different areas. Deep fried butter?? Yes, it's a thing!!

Oh yummy.. Everything in this book looks so delicious ! It makes me want to try everything in there.

Thanks to Netgalley and Santa Monica Press for access to this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I was drawn to this by the description "The Most Popular and Offbeat Recipes from America's State and County Fairs" I found the information and recipes only slightly interesting and the book really didn't seem to know where it was going. I enjoy cookbooks in general but did not like this one. Normally I find several recipes that I would like to make (not that I always get to it) but this one I found none and it didn't make me want to go to a fair.