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2016 LOGAN COUNTY FAIR
LINCOLN DAILY NEWS July 29 - August 6, 2016 Page 169
As I continued my travels through a world
of delicious fair food, I decided I would take
the opportunity to visit a stand I rarely visited
in my youth. In hindsight, it might seem
weird that I never went and ate anything from
Sivori’s. Much like the elderly man standing
in front of me as I waited to order food, I only
ever went there for lemonade when I was
younger. I’m not sure why this is; chalk it
up to a smaller stomach back then. Seeing as
Day 3 of the
Foodie trek
By Derek Hurley
how there are three of Sivori stands on the fairgrounds
now, it seemed like a good time to try it.
Sivori’s is a bit unique in something that they offer
on their menu: chicken strips. I know there are other
places with chicken in some form or fashion, but
I’ve never had chicken strips at the fair until now.
Since I am eternally ten years old on the inside, it is
impossible to resist the call of chicken strips. I’m
not kidding; I jump for joy when I see a sale on three
pounds of dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets in the
grocery store, and I regret nothing as I purchase it.
I was
surprised at
how much
my chicken
strips would
cost, and
as I waited,
another
fairgoer
walked up
behind me.
I always
get nervous
when I’m waiting for food and people line up behind
me. It makes one feel like a roadblock of sorts, only I
can’t really wave anyone around and I have nothing in
the way of blinkers.
When I got my food, I learned why it had been more
expensive. This chicken came with tater tots. Tater
tots are like a more evolved form of French fries;
stronger in every way. Even before taking a bite, I
was already feeling satisfied just looking at the pile
of potatoes before me. It helped that as I looked at
the available condiments, I saw ranch dressing among
the choices. My decision was made, even without
noticing the barbeque sauce. Ranch dressing, much
like mustard, is my ketchup. I put it on everything,
and chicken and taters tots go terrific with it. It only
made me wish I had cheese, and maybe some bacon to
go with it.
If there was any downside to my food, that was my
own fault this time. I neglected to add salt to my tater
tots, and they were a little bland as a result. But they
were also just the right level of crunchy. Experience
tells me that tater tots can easily be ruined by too little
or too much time, leaving them soggy or burnt. But
these tots were, much like Goldilock’s stolen bed,
were ‘just right.’
Honestly, the side dish stole the show from
the chicken. The chicken strips were good, but I also
find it difficult to mess up chicken strips, especially
when there’s easy access to dipping sauce. They
were indeed tender, to use another name, and biting
them was like biting a fresh pillow (in a good way).
I only wish there had been more than three of them.
Altogether, I’m glad I tried something new at the fair
this year.
Foodie goes to the fair: