As the song from the Rogers and Hammerstein musical State Fair goes, “Our state fair is a great state fair, don’t miss it, don’t even be late.” The Indiana State Fair is one of those great state fairs, and I try not 
miss it. One thing that makes this fair great is the food, and, after checking to see the weight of the prize-winning pumpkin and feeding the goats, I made my rounds to enjoy the local farmers’ treats such as tenderloin sandwiches, corn dogs, funnel cakes, elephant ears, fresh tomato juice, and the rich ice cream at the dairy barn. 
In the last few years, the fair has featured “deep-fried anything” from candy bars to cookies. Previously, the notion of “fried” has not tempted me to try these treats. But, this year the deep-fried feature was a pie….not the traditional skillet- fried hand pie, but a deep-fried slice of a pie! And not just any pie, but our state pie, “Hoosier Cream Pie,” and not fried in just any oil, but oil made from our state soybeans pressed into high-oleic soybean oil. This is a new type of oil that is not hydrogenated (no trans fats) which, of course, means it would be “healthy,” right? I decided to give it a try.
People: Food innovators. Who would have ever thought to fry a perfectly good pie? And can you imagine making a healthier oil from your state’s main cash crop?!
Places: State Fairs. State fairs showcase agricultural treasures and inspire groups such as 4-H and Scouts to grow, bake, and show their very best.
Pies: Deep- Fried Mrs. Wicks’ Sugar Cream Pie. The pie at the year’s Indiana State Fair was made by Mrs. Wicks, a bakery and wholesale distributor in Winchester, Indiana. They are famous for their Sugar Cream Pie. This year, they sacrificed this pie to the deep-fat fryer. After placing my order, I watched as 
the vendor dropped a slice of pie in the oil, wiped it with a napkin, put it in a tray, and topped it with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. Four of us were the taste testers and all agreed, it was really good. The oil crisps up the pie and the chocolate sauce pairs well with the cream filling.