I knew we had a good Florida Strawberry Festival Guide when the I — the editor — was using it as reference to find out where all the bizarre food booths were on the grounds yesterday.
For me, I just had to try the strawberry burger — a juicy patty topped with a deep-fried graham cracker strawberry cookie and drizzled with a strawberry glaze. How could I say no? I first saw it while perusing through readers’ Instragram accounts on TheSweetBeat. There, in all its gloriousness, was a picture of the delectable morsel, hugged by two pieces of Texas toast. Love at first sight.
Reading in the guide that it was sold by Carrousel Concessions, I found the busy booth in the northeast corner of the festival, neighboring the media center and kiddie midway.
I was not disappointed. As someone who likes salty over sweet, the strawberry flavor wasn’t overpowering, yet still felt like a special delicacy. I also kept the onions and pickle on it. I know — that sounds pretty disgusting. But it was the perfect balance between the two senses. For those who like it on the sweeter side, I’d opt for no other garnishes and extra strawberry syrup.
And although I was out for the strawberry burger, I have to say, the Krispy Kreme burger was my favorite. I took a nibble off of festival veteran and Plant City native Jesse Starr’s main course, and it was just enough for me to want to rip the burger from his hands in return for my half-eaten sandwich. Who knew doughnuts went so well with beef? And, you get exactly what you pay for. The $9 burger doesn’t leave you hungry, thanks in part to the fact that the buns aren’t one doughnut sliced in half, but two entire doughnuts on either side of the patty.
I asked other staff in our office what foods they most liked at the festival, and I got some excited answers.
Staff Writer Catherine Sinclair posted a photo of her strawberry crepes on Facebook. Crepes are a delightfully light dessert of paper-thin batter that melts on your tongue. The cream filling was almost like a custard, and it was topped with fresh berries, three dollops of whipped cream and chocolate syrup — all for $5. She found it at a cart against the east wall of the Expo Hall.
If you’re thirsty, Advertising exec Veronica Prostko recommends the strawberry lemonade on the east side of the grounds, near the Stingray Corvette raffle. It could be the cheapest drink on the grounds at $2. She also said the Amish doughnut booth sells milk, the only booth she knows of that does. So for mothers who have a baby or looking for a healthier alternative, that could be your spot.
Speaking of Amish doughnuts, the entire office was in an uproar over them. Always a crowd favorite, they didn’t disappoint this year.
“They’ll make you slap somebody, they’re so good,” Advertising Manager Stacey Hudson said.
The booth has moved this year from the east side of grandstands to the west side.
Besides desserts and drinks, one main course you might want to start with are the sirloin tips. Stacey said it was the “best food” at the festival. The tender tips come with mashed red potatoes, onions, peppers and mushrooms.