Diet Schmiet

 As per tradition when Captain Reed is calling the shots, we ate our way around the Indiana State Fair last week. It's not the same since Cindy and David gave up their trailer where the best lemonade shakeups and sausage were dispensed, but it's still a good time. 

And you can tell yourself that you're sweating and hoofing off the poundage you're consuming as you walk the 250 acres stocked with all the animals, crafts, rides, food and beverage, sights and sounds you'll ever need. We add to that the fact that we generally share one item from each stand, so clearly, we're saving calories from the get-go.

People claim there's nothing better than the Dairy Barn, but I still mourn the departure of a trailer just down the way from there that I can only remember as a white little rectangle with  "Home-Made Ice Cream" in red letters. They had a hand-dipped chocolate drumstick there that probably had 10,000 calories in it but was so good. It disappeared one year with no warning. I blame the Dairy Barn cartel.

This year, I had a list of new treats and we debated which we'd try as we drove down. We usually bike, but I'd gone on a bike ride the day before with Tracy that led us up the Fall Creek Trail and into Fort Benjamin Harrison State Park and had a slight injury.

I wanted to start with the pepperoni/hot honey grilled cheese at the Dairy Barn. Sure, I'm still carrying that ice cream grudge, but grilled cheese is grilled cheese. Doug Boles, the president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was serving as a celebrity server at our window, and he insisted we add a shake to our order. It all turned out to be free (with a recommended and happily given donation to the Gleaner's Food Bank) and we opted for blueberry.  We gave both items ⭐⭐⭐⭐ on a scale of five stars.

Next up was a container of white and milk chocolate drizzled french fries. The server there was not the power behind the legendary 500 mile race, and claimed to be a trainee. The fries were hot, salty and the chocolate was an interesting add. We gave them marks for appearance and effort but only ⭐⭐⭐.

We wandered up to the DNR exhibit in search of turkey meatballs in a donut and covered in a sweet chili sauce. Jeff devoured it. It was not my jam. At all. So we gave separate reviews of zero ⭐ from me and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐🤩from the Captain.

We spent a little time looking at hot tubs, a purchase I'd love to make and the Captain would not. New this year was a little shack where you could go inside and have parakeets descend on you. Jeff took a photo and sent to legendary bird hater, Amy Tokash. 

We felt obliged to check out Pioneer Village for two reasons 1. Jen and Peter Chase are involved in a similar kind of thing in Maine and 2. My friend Bree's dad either runs the place or is next-in-charge. It was fun, included some charming bluegrass music and one of the biggest servings of chocolate ice cream I've ever had. Sadly, it didn't rise to the level of the ill-fated home-made ice cream trailer, but we did finish it. ⭐⭐⭐

Rounding the curve, we checked out the stables and learned a bit about the history of racing at the Fair and ran into kiddie land, which we don't remember being separated from the main Midway before. That brought us back to the main drag where Jeff insisted we visit the Swine Barn where some kids were having their hogs reviewed. We immediately left to visit the Pork Tent where we almost ordered a mac-n-cheese, BBQ pork boat but settled for a pork chop that the Captain declared incredible. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ His appetite was not diminished at all by the fact that live pigs were squealing just feet away.

We stopped in the horse building where we saw what might have been the biggest non-Clydsdale horse on the planet. I don't really have good perspective here, but the horse was way taller than Jeff. The short horse in the photo below wasn't short. At all. Those fans are about 5-feet-tall.

We don't eat horses in Indiana, but the Beef Tent was outside the horse area, and the Captain was literally led by the nose toward another meaty treat. I wouldn't recommend asthmatics visit this area as the smoke from the grills was thicker than our blueberry shake. Sadly, the sirloin sandwich did not hold up to the pork chop, which Jeff was some bitter about.  ⭐⭐

He had eschewed his standard corn-on-the cob when we first arrived, insisting that the grilled cheese was Mission No. 1. But ended up with a large cup of elotes that was divine. It was also a vegetable, so we congratulated ourselves on having at least one healthy dish. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

He did consider another meatball sandwich before we rolled ourselves out of the place, but withstood the impulse. We also passed on the pickle pizza and pickle beer. We got home around 5 p.m. and I don't think we had dinner. We might have had a salad. Whatever it was, it wasn't fried.

On a bike ride Friday, we rode past the fairgrounds, and he almost veered back into the place for that meatball sandwich, but managed to stay strong again.

If you've never been to the Indiana State Fair, it's a good time, and you should totally check it out. Today's the last day, though, so hurry.  If you're trying to avoid bad-for-you food, it's not the place for you. I'll be working it all off for the next few weeks.  Speaking of working it off, we were planning a pickle ball Sunday, but then the Captain made a huge brunch, which we had on the Lido Deck North. 

Which caused me to remember that I have a bunch of yard work to do. I'd cleaned up from brunch and was clipping away when the rain started. So maybe no Fair and no outdoor fun for us today. Or at least for a bit. 

We've retreated to the back porch where we are surrounded by Canna Lilies (thank you John Vielee) and Black Eyed Susans. We're listening to the rain instead of Big Head Todd and the Monsters, who supplied our brunch background noise. (Sorry, neighbors.) 

My dahlias are holding strong in the front yard, where I assume they're happy about the rain. 

I'll leave you with that image as I consider a trip to the gym.