And the Lord said "deep-fry that puppy!"

The Minnesota State Fair may be head and pork shoulders above its competitors when it comes to deep-fried oddities on a stick, but some folks at the North Carolina State Fair take their cue from the Fryer Upstairs. "I had a vision from God to do the banana," declared Vincent Thomas, 49, of Creative Catering of Raleigh. Thomas introduced fried banana puddin' bites at last year's fair and will be showcasing fried strawberry cobbler, fried apple cobbler, and fried pina colada strips this year. The North Carolina State Fair runs through October 23 if you've got frequent flyer miles and are feeling peckish.