We all know how disappointing it is that the Edwards County Fair has been cancelled. Fair foods have always been one of my favorite things about any fair: county, interstate or state or some other localized specialty fair or festival, especially one that revolves around a specific food item.

I mean, my love for this revolved around one of those festivals: “the Peach Festival.” Every year while I was growing up, I looked forward to this localized festival celebrating peaches. While there were all sorts of peach-related goodies to try, I just only wanted thing (and still do, thinking about it): Peach shortcake. 

There’s something about that shortcake that still makes my mouth water, and I haven’t been able to attend a Peach Festival since the early-to-mid 1990’s. The infamous DiCamillo’s Bakery tea biscuit/shortcake recipe is still a guarded secret, so I’ve had to make concessions with the recipe for the shortcake.

Recipes wanted! Submitted recipes will be accepted at [email protected], or you can stop by the Albion office and drop a copy off up front. If you don’t have a recipe to submit right now, but there is a recipe you’re desperately seeking, feel free to email or drop off a note for a “Recipe Request.” I’m now requesting recipes for your favorite chili and dessert recipes!

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Lewiston (N.Y.) Peach Festival’s Peach Shortcakes

Ingredients:

Rich Tea biscuits:

2C flour

2 TBSP sugar

1 tsp salt

4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1/2C butter, cold

1C milk, cold

coarse sugar, optional

Peaches:

4C fresh peaches, pitted, peeled and sliced

1/2C sugar

Assembly:

tea biscuits

peaches

whipped cream, optional

coarse sugar, optional

Directions:

For tea biscuits: Put the first five ingredients in a bowl; stir thoroughly. Cut in butter until crumbly. Pour in milk; stir quickly to combine. The dough should be soft. Turn out on to a lightly floured surface and knead gently 8-10 times. Roll or pat 1/2 to 3/4-in. thick (or half the thickness you want the baked product to be) and cut with a small round cookie cutter (2 to 2—1/2in. is a good size).

Place on greased cookie sheet close together for soft sides or apart for crisp sides. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 12-15 minutes. Note: brushing biscuits with milk and sprinkling coarse sugar on before baking will produce a pretty brown top. Cool.

For peaches:

Combine peaches and sugar. Set aside until ready to assemble shortcakes.

To assemble:

Cut cooled tea biscuits in half, place in a bowl. Generously spoon peaches on top. Sprinkle on some coarse sugar and top with whipped cream (any kind will work, but for this only, I stay ‘authentic’ and use Redi-Whip!)

***Tea biscuit recipe courtesy of Boyz 5 from “food.com website.***

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County Fair Funnel Cakes

Ingredients:

2, large eggs

1C milk

1C water

1 tsp vanilla extract

3C all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

Oil, for deep frying

Powdered sugar, for serving

Directions:

Heat oil to 375 degrees in a deep fryer or large heavy-bottomed skillet.

In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add milk, water, and vanilla until well blended. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; whisk until smooth.

Cover the bottom of a funnel spout with your finger and carefully ladle 1/2C batter into the funnel. Hold the funnel several inches above the oil and release your finger, moving the funnel in a spiral motion until all of the batter has flowed out of the funnel. Scrape with a rubber spatula if necessary.

Fry 3-5 minutes on each side or until golden brown, using tongs to flip once. Drain on paper towels. Dust with powdered sugar; serve warm.

Repeat step 3 and 4 with remaining batter.

***Recipe courtesy of Jamie from “Love Bakes Good Cakes” blog.***

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Mexican Grilled Corn on the Cob (Elote)

Ingredients:

6, ears of sweet corn on the cob

Mayonnaise

Chili powder (chipotle is a favorite) or Mexican seasoning blend

Crumbled Mexican cheese (like cotija or queso fresco)

Fresh lime juice

Parmesan cheese, optional

Directions:

Preheat your grill to medium-high. Leaving the stalks attached, remove all but the innermost layer of corn husk; discard. Alternately, peel down and make a “handle.”  Run cobs under water then put directly on grill.

Cool about 5 minutes at a time, rotating to lightly char all kernels.

Remove any remaining hush and silk that didn’t burn away.

While the corn is still hot, lightly coat each cob with 1-2 tsp mayonnaise (put some on a paper towel and rub it on the corn for ease).

Sprinkle with chili powder or seasoning, cheeses and lime juice. Serve hot.

***Recipe courtesy of Shawnda, from “the Brewer and the Baker” blog.***

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Best Frito Pie

You can use the included chili recipe, or use your own recipe!

Ingredients:

For chili:

1 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil

1, medium white onion, chopped and divided

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 TBSP tomato paste

1-lb. ground beef

1-1/2 TBSP chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes

1 (15-oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 (4-oz.) can green chiles

For serving:

6 (1-oz) bags Fritos

1 jalapeno, thinly sliced

2C Cheddar cheese, shredded

Sour cream, optional

Directions:

In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add half onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more, then add tomato paste, stirring to combine. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Drain fat and return to heat.

Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne, and season generously with salt and pepper. Pour in crushed tomatoes, pinto bean, green chile, then bring chili to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Season with more salt and pepper, if desired.

To build Frito pie: open bag(s) and ladle in chili. Top with shredded cheese, remaining chopped white onions, jalapenos and sour cream if using. 

***Recipe courtesy of Lena Abraham for “Delish” website.***

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Vintage Lemonade

Ingredients:

5, lemons

1-1/4C sugar

1-1/4-qt. water

Directions:

Peel the rinds from the 5 lemons and cut them into 1/2 inch slices. Set the lemons aside.

Place the rinds in a bowl and sprinkle the sugar over them. Let this stand for about one hour, so that the sugar begins to soak up the oils from the lemons.

Bring water to a boil in a covered saucepan and then pour the hot water over the sugared lemon rinds. Allow this mixture to cool for 20 minutes and then remove the rinds.

Squeeze the lemons into another bowl. Pour the juice through a strainer into the sugar mixture. Stir well, pour into pitcher and pop it in the fridge! Serve with ice cubes.

***Recipe courtesy of Aunt Suzie, for all recipes.com website.***

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Peanut Butter and Jelly Pie Sticks

Ingredients:

For cream cheese crust:

2C all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3/4C unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes

1/4C cream cheese, cold, cut into cubes

2 TBSP buttermilk

For filling:

1/4C peanut butter

1/4C jam or jelly, flavor of your choice

Other:

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 TBSP heavy cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a bowl sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the cold cubs of butter and cream cheese and cut in with a pastry knife or your fingers until a fine crumble is made. Add the buttermilk and gently work together, until a dough just comes together.

Form the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Once the dough has chilled, roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface until 1/8-in. thick.

Cut 24, 2-1/2-in. fluted circles from the dough and fill half with a small amount peanut butter and jelly.

Whisk together the egg and cream. Brush the perimeter of each hand pie with the egg wash and place the non-filled pie crusts over each filled crusts and gently press together to seal. Brush the tops with egg wash. Using a pairing knife, cut 3 small slits on the tops of each hand pie.

Place them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Allow the pb&j pie sticks to cool completely on a cooling rack.

***Recipe courtesy of Teri and Jenny, from “Spoon Fork Bacon” blog.***

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