Indiana Home To Tastiest Fried Cuisine

By Rebecca White-Glanders, Contributing writer

Indiana may be known for cornfields and the Indy 500, but the tastiest attractions by far are its local dishes. There really is more than corn in Indiana. So, whether you're visiting or just passing through, you won't want to miss Indiana's best kept secret: a statewide knack for creating delicious dishes and unique creations from all things fried.

Mouthwatering Favorites

One of the most popular Indiana foods is the breaded (and fried) pork tenderloin. These oversize tenderloins are usually served in Indiana with lettuce, tomato, mayo, pickle and mustard. They can be found at local diners across Indiana, and no trip to the Indiana State Fair is complete without one.

Another must: No visit to Indiana is complete without a trip to Amish country, where the best fried chicken in Indiana originates. According to www.essenhaus.com, the website for the famous Das Dutchman Essenhaus restaurant, you can sit down and enjoy an all-you-can-eat meal of its mouthwatering fried chicken with all the trimmings: mashed potatoes and gravy, egg noodles, stuffing and pie.

Kids (and adults) throughout Indiana also enjoy the simple joys of corndogs -- hotdogs on a stick that have been breaded and, of course, fried.

Indiana's Unique Deep-Fried Dishes

But Indiana's obsession with fried foods doesn't stop there. The full range of Indiana's best fried foods can only be experienced at the Indiana State Fair held each August in Indianapolis. Each year, the Indiana State Fair unveils a new and unexpected fried food for visitors to sample.

According to www.seriousseats.com, the 2008 Indiana State Fair Signature Food contest winner was deep-fried "bananas foster cheesecake on a stick." According to an article by news station WRTV6, some other favorite deep-fried delicacies can be found at the fair every year including funnel cakes, fried cheese, deep-fried Snickers bars, Oreos, Twinkies, deep-fried Pepsi, and even a deep-fried latte.

So, the next time you're passing through Indiana, be sure to sample the fried delights throughout the state. From the juiciest fried chicken around to the odd deep-fried confections at the fair, there's something in Indiana for every palate.