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class acts: tiny tom donuts headline cne food hall of fame inductees
ice cream waffle, pickle pizza, primo spaghetti, deep-fried butter also honoured by gonzo gourmands
aug 22 2024
3 minute read
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the cne’s food building sure has come a long way since canned fish and one-a-day vitamins were the talk of the town.
to celebrate the building’s 70th anniversary, the ex announced its inaugural cne food hall of fame class on thursday with tiny tom donuts, ice cream waffle, pickle pizza, primo spaghetti and deep-fried butter honoured by the fair’s gonzo gourmands.
this year’s class and the others to come will honour the “iconic, the innovative, the creative and the memorable foods that have shaped the culinary reputation of canada’s favourite fair,” the cne said in a news release.
“with a plethora of carnival treats to choose from that have been enjoyed over the decades by generations of visitors, the cne plans to make the cne food hall of fame an ongoing tradition to select a handful of food items to induct each year,” officials said in a news release.
“each inductee will be recognized with a banner that will hang in the iconic food building year-round and for years to come.”
cronuts, monster samosas and other off-the-wall food offerings have dominated headlines for more than a decade, but that hasn’t always been the case since the food products building was built in 1954 after the old pure food building was demolished.
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some of the “interesting” menu items at the cne in the 1950s and 1960s included alka-seltzer, ketchup, licorice treats and – oh, the excitement! – the introduction of heinz cream of tomato canned soup.
the food products building, which cost $1.5 million to construct, was originally advertised as a “prestigious place to showcase canada’s innovative food industry” and organizers at the time prophetically proclaimed it to be the “talk of canada … and a source of interest for many years to come,” the cne said.
ain’t that the truth. so to celebrate, here’s a look at the fair’s culinary trail blazers:
tiny tom donuts
even heathens who have never been to the cne know the name. the bite-size treats debuted in 1960 and continue to captivate as they march down their “signature” conveyor belt. tens of thousands of mini donuts are churned out over the ex’s 18 days, officials said, and the intoxicating aroma of fried dough and cinnamon, considered “synonymous” with the fair, is what makes it a hall of famer.
the ice cream waffle sandwich is among the first cne food hall of fame inductees announced on thursday, aug. 22, 2024.
cne
ice cream waffle
the ice cream waffle sandwich – a block of vanilla ice cream nestled between two freshly made waffles – has been a staple at the fair for more than 80 years and is sure to melt the resolve of even the healthiest eater. the cow-patterned booth remains a “go-to destination,” ex officials said, adding the first sandwiches were handed out in 1940.
the pickle pizza is among the first cne food hall of fame inductees announced on thursday, aug. 22, 2024.
cne
pickle pizza
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the salty treat is a relatively new phenomena, having made its debut in 2019, but it has already inspired plenty of other dishes. it was one of the fair’s bestselling food items that year thanks to a combination of a dill-ranch sauce base, pickles, cheese and more dill on top of a made-to-order, wood-fired pizza.
primo spaghetti is among the first cne food hall of fame inductees announced on thursday, aug. 22, 2024.
cne
primo spaghetti
credit nostalgia and simplicity. there’s nothing complex about this fair favourite, which consists of a cup of al dente spaghetti with tomato sauce. the budget-friendly price helps, too, as the pasta dish cost 99 cents for years and is now a whopping $1.99.
deep-fried butter is one of the first cne food hall of fame inductees announced on thursday, aug. 22, 2024.
cne
deep-fried butter
vicky skinkle’s sweet treats made headlines in 2010 with this decadent dessert, which consists of frozen butter cloaked in funnel cake batter before being deep fried. the “unapologetically outrageous” snacks were an instant hit and are back again this year until sept. 2 – or until supplies last. you can find them at the deep fried booth at the food building and at legend dairy in the midway.
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