The CNE. The annual summer event signifies the end of the summer. Thousands of people travel to attend the 18-day summer fair and of course, we had to go opening weekend. One of the best things about the annual fair is all the new food you get to try and this year had no shortage of weird concoctions.
I started light and headed straight to the Food Building and grabbed a cheeseburger and Korean fried chicken poutine. I’ll rate the cheeseburger a 7/10 and the poutine 8/10. Nothing too special about the burger but the poutine was very good. I definitely just needed something to line my stomach with what was next to come.
After wandering through the Food Building we headed out on the grounds to look for some of the new food they had this year. First up was the dill pickle cotton candy. I heard people talking smack about this but I LOVE cotton candy and dill pickle so I was so excited to try this. At first I was unsure about the flavour but after a few more bites I started to like it more. I give it a 7/10 and would eat it again.
Next was something I was dreading, the cheeseburger ice cream. I like cheeseburgers so this should be good right? I was so wrong. The ice cream came with a Funyun dipped in ketchup, a dill pickle and the cone dipped in cheese and sesame seeds. Honestly, I didn’t mind the ice cream at all. I thought it was pretty good until I bit into the cone with the cheese and I had to tap out. Without the cone, I would say I’d give it a strong 4.5 but with the cheese on the cone it made it inedible and I’d have to give it a -3/10.
After that disaster, I had to get some mini donuts since they are a staple. I’d give them an 8/10 as well. We then wandered through the Enercare Centre and found Dragon’s Breath. It’s freezed dried cereal that tastes like Corn Pops that are then dipped in liquid nitrogen to give that frozen aspect. I thought it was so cool playing with it but for taste, it was mid so I’ll give it 6.5/10.
I don’t think my stomach could handle any more food but we then passed a booth selling pickle lemonade and you know I just had to try it. There were dill sprigs and pickle slices in the cup too so you know it’s gonna taste very pickley. I love to drink the pickle brine out of the jar so the lemonade taste just like it with the sweetness of the lemonade. I loved it but was surprised when a pickle came up my straw. I would definitely drink this again and just might make this at home. I’m giving this a strong 8./10.
After the pickle lemonade, it was time for me to tap out but there are more weird food concoctions that I want to try if I go again like the Thanksgiving Poutine, the watermelon burger, and the sweet corn ice cream.
Let us know if you’ve been to the CNE this summer and which weird food you tried and if you loved or hated it.
Want to check out and learn about more local Toronto spots? Check out our previous blog posts here.