Wacky offerings at this year's CNE sure to pique appetites of curious foodies

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Psssssttt!  Do you know where somebody can get a Maki Sushi Corn Dog, a Kreamchi Korean Dumpling, deep fried frozen watermelon — and wash it down with buttered Root Beer?

Well, of course, all will be on offer starting this Friday, as the Princes’ Gates swing wide open to usher in the 146th edition of the CNE, which runs until Sept. 1.

CEO Mark Holland on Monday kicked off this year’s edition inside the Princes’ Gates with a flying acrobat behind him from Evolution: An Aerial Balloon show and was surrounded by a trio drag queens who will host bawdy brunch and lunchtime shows this Sunday.

The annual fair will also feature the 76th annual Canadian International Air Show and nightly musical acts like July Talk, Shawn Desman, Dean Brody, The Commodores, Chantal Kreviazuk, Loverboy, The Trans-Canada Highwaymen, and others.

Those looking to sample the wacky goodies can zoom across the fair grounds — pass a massive ferris wheel and other wild rides and games of chance — and just follow their noses to the legendary Food Building.

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Peggy, from Craig’s Cookies, was more than pleased to highlight their show stopper — the $7 Chicken Nugget Cookie, complete with BBQ dipping sauce.

“Craig’s Cookies always does an amazing job and you wouldn’t imagine putting a chicken nugget in a cookie,” said Holland. “But man, is it delicious.”

After saying that, he was handed The Bacone — a spicy Habanero Bacon Cotton Candy treat topped off with an all-Canadian butter tart.

“Oh wow, take a look at this,” said Holland, who used both hands to eat it.

And if hotdogs are your thing, there is the $55 two-foot offering — good for a family of four — and the $22 Maki Sushi Corn Dog served with spicy mayo and soy glaze.

And last but not least, no trip to the Exhibition would be complete without visiting the Tiny Tom Donuts trailer for a bag of the freshly made mini-donuts. There’s a new flavour this year:  Raspberry waffle.

Justin Yayros, who has been working at Tiny Tom Donuts for the past 11 years, said the tasty treats are as “iconic” to the CNE now as they were when the operation started in 1959.

“It’s a family tradition. People come up and say, ‘You know what? I’ve been having these since I was a kid. And now I just want to share it with the rest of the family,'” said Yayros.