PNE unveils outrageous culinary creations for 2018

VANCOUVER — It wouldn’t be a Fair at the PNE without some of Western Canada’s most outrageous and unbelievable culinary creations, and this year’s wild food lineup is no exception.

Get ready to loosen your belt and treat your tongue to some sweet, some savoury, some salty and sour Aug. 18 to Sept. 3.

“Outrageous and innovative food is a Fair at staple, and our team has set the bar even higher this year,” says Laura Ballance, spokesperson for the Pacific National Exhibition. “Whether you’re looking for something to satisfy your sweet tooth, or a dish that reminds you of a home cooked meal, foodies won’t want to miss the Fair.”

In addition to all the Fair classics that are set to return this year, keep an eye out for insane items like cricket caramel apples, a twist on a Fair classic, which mixes sustainable eating with an iconic snack.

The caramel apple is rolled in salty, ovenroasted Entomo Farm crickets to create a sweet and salty delight that will add a bit of crunch for the courageous.

Looking to stay cool this Fair? A modern take on ice cream, smoking charcoal soft serve will cool you down in the hot summer sun.

And don’t forget to taste black charcoal pineapple ice cream, a twist on the hottest ice cream trend; black charcoal soft serve ice cream served right out of a fresh pineapple. Or check out S’luscious, with boozy slush drinks in a variety of flavours, including frose, lime, mango, and dark and stormy.

What about something a bit more savoury? This year’s lineup of delicious burgers will thrill you to no end.

Step back in time to a 1950s diner, courtesy of gourmet burgers, to try a garlic vanilla milkshake burger, or its cousin, the sweet and salty milkshake burger, covered in rock salts, caramel drizzle and vanilla ice cream.

Well, the magnum opus of the burger world, the deep-fried burger will take the outstanding cheese burger you’ve had at The Fair to its ultimate conclusion.

Wrapped in a bread dough and deep fried to a crisp, golden-brown perfection, this burger will be an explosion of taste and texture, a must try for all fairgoers.

For the chocolate fanatics, churros locos introduces chocolate-dipped churros, rolled in your favourite toppings, or churro fries, smothered with chocolate and caramel sauce, with marshmallows tossed into the mix, available only at the PNE Marketplace.

Triple chocolate brownie milkshakes will make a big splash as they tantalize your taste buds. Fresh homemade brownies crushed and mixed in warm chocolate sauce are layered through a premium hard scoop vanilla bean milkshake.

For the taco fanatic in the family, the PNE’s own brand-new taco stand, Buen Gusto Street Tacos, will be set up outside the Pacific Coliseum, offering Vancouver’s take on the Mexican classic to satisfy your cravings.