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I don’t often start my days off eating ice cream dipped in hot salted butter and rolled in popcorn, but I’m willing to step outside my comfort zone in the name of journalism.
That delightful creation from Moolicious Farm in Southwick, Massachusetts, was just the first of many unusual foods I tried at a preview of this year’s Big E, running Sept. 18-Oct. 4. It was a salty-sweet punch to the tongue that hit me like butterscotch’s crazy cousin and put a big ol’ smile on my face. I’m not sure why I started with dessert on this fair food tour, but concession options at the Big E aren’t so much about rationality as they are about piquing curiosity and triggering a Pavlovian salivation.
Did you ever have the idea to deep fry two Uncrustables peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and use them as buns for a double cheeseburger? Or have you ever thought your deep-fried rice balls could use more Cheeto dust and a side of consommé dipping sauce? Don’t bother with the home fryer. White Hut of West Springfield and Macho Taco of Agawam have you covered.
There are even oil-rich options for those adhering to a gluten-free diet: corn dogs and fried Oreos at Simply Gluten Free on the fair’s East Road.
Of all the styles of cuisine options, perhaps the most prevalent was foods on a stick. “The Stack” from The Paddock in the Eastern States expo is four specialty sliders skewered like a kebab: “The Maple” with bacon, cheddar cheese and maple aioli; “The Smash” with pickles, cheese and something called smash sauce; “The Ancho” with a sauce made from ancho chiles and candied jalapenos; and “The Mac” with mac ‘n’ cheese, barbeque sauce and crispy onion straws. I believe most people take each slider off one at a time while eating this item, but I’m curious if there are people out there gnawing at it like a turkey leg.
“If you need a knife and a fork, go home. It doesn’t sell here,” said Joe Deedy from Moolicious as he was assembling my “Campfire on a Stick” — a graham cracker sandwich with toasted marshmallows and vanilla soft serve dipped in chocolate. “Grab a napkin, and don’t trust the stick,” he added.
There was Cajun Lobster Tail on a stick from NOLA Cajun Kitchen & Raw Bar, 2025’s Big E Fairgoer Favorite (People’s Choice) Champion. It’s something they called “Hushpuppy-Style Skewer,” which was poached in butter, dipped in sweet hushpuppy batter and flash-fried. Then — because it’s not done quite yet — they finish it with Mike’s Hot Honey butter and drizzle it with Cajun remoulade.
If you’re looking for something stick-adjacent, consider the Push-Up Sushi from K’s Japanese Restaurant from Westfield, available at the food court. If you’re not familiar with the viral trend, picture an ice cream push pop but with sushi and a straw filled with soy sauce.
And there were plenty of notable “non-stick” options as well: a fried turkey dinner from E.B.’s Restaurant in Agawam, The Big E’s peanut butter cream puffs (which people were carrying in boxes that fit half and full dozens)! Ferrindino Maple, based in Hampden, showcased its syrup with a freshly made waffle topped with maple ice cream, maple-cooked bacon and a drizzle of organic maple syrup.
A number of the menu options had me recounting the famous line from Jeff Goldblum’s Dr. Ian Malcolm in “Jurassic Park” — “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could that they didn’t stop to think if they should.”
At the Big E, they should. And perhaps in some ways, they should go even further. Is it possible that an opportunity was missed to batter the Uncrustable before frying it? Perhaps. That would have prevented some of the spongy bread from soaking up the oil. But I applaud the innovation.
My final menu item was a salted caramel espresso martini cocktail. After a few pre-noon sips (just for the taste) of the drink, I ran into West Springfield Mayor Will Reichelt. He said he’s been going to the Big E for 40 years and he had the following tips for newcomers: “Don’t eat anything on the day of before you go.” The mayor added that his annual favorites are poutine, fried Oreos and mini doughnuts. “I usually start toward the Avenue of States and work towards the big yellow slide.”
My personal tips are to arrive early and split meals with friends. You can taste more options if you’re only having a few bites of each!
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
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