Barto's Catering and Concessions

In honor of the fair’s “Year of Soybeans,” all the entries had to incorporate soybeans, soybean products or soy-fed livestock into the recipe, and the winner is…

Baskin Robbins’ deep-fried ice cream has been selected as the Indiana State Fair’s Signature Food for 2011. Baskin Robbins vendors Bob and Ivy Walsh of Muncie submitted the winning entry and will offer it to fairgoers for $5 from their prize-winning spot on Main Street directly across from the Pepsi Coliseum. The dish is a sizable portion of vanilla ice cream covered in soybean meal that’s deep-fried in soybean oil and served in a waffle bowl that has also been deep-fried in soy oil. It is then topped with chocolate, caramel and whipped cream.

But wait, there’s more! Here are the four runner-ups…

(American Dairy Association)
Perfectly toasted sough dough bread with spicy pepper jack cheese from soy-feed dairy cows. ($3)

(Barto’s Catering and Concessions)

Chunks of top sirloin from soy-fed Indiana cattle are spiced up with a sweet chili-garlic marinade and served on a stick with a sesame-ginger soy sauce for dipping. ($2)

(Indiana Pork Producers)
This pork patty (from soy-fed pigs) is topped with Indiana-made barbecue sauce from Shoup’s Country Foods in Frankfort. ($5)

(Urick Concession)
Three generous cubes of tofu, rolled in a crisp coating, deep-fried in soy oil and served on a stick with a spicy dipping sauce. ($3)