Briny bounty at the Ex Pickles take centre stage among fair’s concession vendors
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The thought of biting into a deep-fried Oreo with a pickle inside may sound repulsive, but the unusual sweet treat and other pickled foods have been growing in popularity at fairs across North America.
Deep Fried Pickle Oreos, Blue Taki Pickle Pizza and Pickled Fries are just a few of the 60 or so food vendors set up at the Red River Exhibition, which started Friday and runs to June 21.
The fried sweet and tangy Oreos have become a bestseller, says Harrison Swift, co-owner of Concessions Inc., which specializes in creating unique foods that appear at exhibitions across the country.
BROOK JONES/FREE PRESS
Corn Dogs & Deep Fried Pickle Oreos owners Sam Swift (left) and her husband, Harrison, show off their deep-fried pickle Oreos Friday at the Ex.
“We’ve done it in Toronto at the CNE, we’ve done it at the Calgary Stampede and now it’s making its debut here so we’re super excited about it,” says Swift.
People lined up for hours in Calgary and Toronto to try the strange combination and he’s excited to bring it to Winnipeg, he says.
Festival preview
The Ex
- Red River Exhibition Park, 3977 Portage Ave.
- To June 21
- Tickets, info and full schedule at redriverex.com
- Gate admission $15-$20; ride-all-day wristbands $60; fast pass, $30
“If you love pickles and you love Oreos, it’s amazing. When you bite into it it’s warm, it’s delicious, it’s your favourite fried Oreo, but it’s also got this dill-pickle tanginess and it surprisingly goes very well together,” Swift says.
The confection is made by opening an Oreo sandwich cookie and putting dill pickle slices inside. It’s then closed up, dipped in batter, fried and finished by garnishing it with sweet vanilla sauce, icing sugar and dill pickles.
“People love pickles and people always want a way to enjoy what they already enjoy in a different way at the fair,” Swift says.
Tristin Ukmar, owner of Rick’s Pizza, says their pickle pizza has been a bestseller since 2018. The Florida-based vendor has been serving the pizza at exhibitions across North America and says everywhere they go there’s a huge demand.
At larger fairs, people have waited over an hour for a piece and their lines have been measured to be over a kilometre long, he says.
BROOK JONES/FREE PRESS
Pickles are added to Oreo cookies before they are dipped in batter and deep-fried.
“I’d say seven or eight out of 10 (people) get pickle pizza. We still sell a lot of pepperoni and cheese, but our No. 1 seller now is pickle,” he says.
This year, they’ve decided to take it up a notch by introducing the Blue Heat Taki Pickle Pizza.
“We’re just trying to jazz it up a little a bit — a little a bit of zest, a little bit of spice, something different,” says Ukmar.
Each year, the Red River Ex tries to introduce new and unique foods for people to experience, says fair manager Alana Fehr.
She says she had turned down the pickle Oreos the last few years, but a concession last year selling french fries brined in pickle juice was such a big hit, she changed her mind.
The pickle foods are so unusual they quickly generate social media buzz, leading to their growth in popularity, she says.
“The recipes they come up with the pickles tend to be the weirdest things I’ve ever heard of,” says Fehr.
BROOK JONES/FREE PRESS
Rick’s Pickle Pizza owner Tristin Ukmar shows off his deep-fried pickle pizza pie.
The year’s fair is celebrating its 75th anniversary and features 49 midway rides, and events such as mechanical bull riding, line dance lessons, arm wrestling competitions and live wrestling.
There are also daily indoor and outdoor markets; a family fun zone featuring a petting zoo, corn maze, dino dig, Indigenous village, extreme dog shows, a giant sandbox, a haunted house and a hula hoop hut; a juried art show; helicopter rides; bingo; chainsaw carvers; and a variety of live musical entertainment.
The Ex offers free admission Friday between 5 and 6 p.m., and Sunday between noon and 1 p.m.
tiago.resko@freepress.mb.ca
Concert lineup
Saturday
Red Barn Stage
• Ten @ Two
• Crackin’ Foxy
Central Park Stage
• School of Rock
• Dirty Catfish Brass Band
• Black Youth Culture Night
Sunday
Red Barn Stage
• Hard Roxx
• Reckless Age
• Crush
Central Park Stage
• You & What Army
• The Toneriders
• The Villains
Monday
Red Barn Stage
• Rockalypso
• Rozmai Ukrainian Dancers
• Ruskala Dancers
• High Profile
Central Park Stage
• RCAF Band
Tuesday
Red Barn Stage
• Buxton & Co.
• Damn the Torpedoes
• Hot Blooded
Wednesday
Red Barn Stage
• Free Ride
• Elvis Tribute
• Beatles Tribute
• Johnny Cash Tribute
Central Park Stage
• Bri-Animal
• Heartbreaker
Thursday
Red Barn Stage
• MAFTI Performing Arts
• MAFTI Rondalla
• Jovelle Balani
• Mervin Sison
• Winnipeg Sikaran Arnis Academy
• On Eyr
• Beverly Wynn and the Fine Mixture
Central Park Stage
• The Honey Sliders feat. Jamie Buckboro
• Gary Gach with the King’s Ransom
Friday
Red Barn Stage
• Mach 10 Winnipeg Jets Band
• Atomic Candy
• Wicked Awesome
Central Park Stage
• Men in Kilts
• The Irvin Miller Band
• Coz 4 Alarm
Saturday, June 20
Red Barn Stage
• Blue Stem
• Les Barn Boys
• Hearts on Fire
• Forever and Always
Central Park Stage
• Renegade
• Bed of Roses
• Unchained
• For Those About to Rock
• Rattlesnake Shake
• Last Kiss
Sunday, June 21
Red Tent Stage
• MMF House Band
• Ivan Flett Memorial Dancers
• Michael Audette
• Untitled Thunder
• Art Gladu and Deputy Band feat. Mark Morriseau
• Catie St. Germain
• Desiree Orvis
• Jerry Sereda
• Norman Chief Memorial Dancers
• Jesse Bandura
• Micael Lauze
• Darren Lavallee and Junction Band
Central Park Stage
• Calamity Jane
• Pop Vegas
• The Holly Davidson Band
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