Eating your way through Ekka
Ask any Ekka lover what one must do at Ekka, and their answer might look a little like this:
- Play a game or take a ride at Sideshow Alley
- Pet a furry farm animal at the Animal Boulevard or watch them at work at the Animal Arena
- Cheer on the woodchoppers
- Buy a couple of showbags at the Showbag Pavilion
- Shove your face silly with as much junk food as possible
There simply is no limit to the variety of nomnoms you can find at the Ekka and this year is better than most. There's the downright bad for you (pastel-hued fairy floss deep fried golden brown chips, anyone?) and there's the gourmet stuff (local wines and cheeses). And you don't even have to buy anything, as the samples were coming fast and furious: bread, chips, dips, sauces, fresh apple, pineapple, honey, fruit juices, spices nuts, lamb, beef, salmon, cheese... you name it, it was there.
These guys are such champs
and I'm not saying that because they have machete knives,
razor sharp from the pineapple acid.
The fresh pineapple samples were so amazingly sweet without being overripe.
So delish after a hot morning of walking through the dog pavilion.
Fresh fresh fresh orange juice.
Nothing can be better than it coming straight out of the fruit.
You will not believe the amazing smell that wafts from this stall.
King of Cakes
The SO couldn't help himself and got himself a bag of biltong and jerky.
I forsee much meat chewing.
I'll admit that the dagwood dog (or corndog to Americans) is my Ekka sin. I have to have a Dagwood at Ekka. Without one, the experience is incomplete. It's gotta be piping hot, absolutely crispy golden and dripping in ketchup. Makes my mouth water just thinking about biting into one of them.
But we stayed pretty good and opted for healthier rolls, which were surprisingly full of really fresh crisp veggies and delicious relish. Not something you'd ordinarily find at a country fair, but boy, am I glad they're there. And all washed down with water and lemonade.
That's not to say we weren't tempted.
Seafood & Wine Bar at the Woolworths Fresh Food Pavilion was also awesome! Ten freshly shucked coffin bay oysters for $24 and the Wild Queensland Prawns for $15. If only I had enough stomach to wolf those down too...