Big E unveils new foods for 2023 fair

WEST SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - We have a bit of local history for you. The ‘E’ in The Big E stands for entertainment, education, and excitement. It could also stand for eats too because that’s what a lot of fairgoers get the chance to do.

Even in its 107th year, The Big E is still introducing new food to guests. While The Big E bakery and its cream puffs are a staple, they have a new flavor on this year’s scene: maple. On Thursday, the fairgrounds held a taste testing event for some of the 65 new food items fairgoers will get to try this year and what goes better with a maple cream puff than a maple bacon hot dog.

“It’s a maple hot dog grilled, then boiled in our maple syrup and the bacon bits on top are also cooked in our maple syrup, so it’s a really sweet hot dog, but it’s a great snack for the big e,” said Andrew Ferrindino with Ferrindino Maple.

While maple bacon may not be a new flavor, Ferrindino Maple is the first to put it on a hot dog.

“I can’t take credit. It was friends that come to the farm. It was my parents who own the business, so it was a group effort,” Ferrindino added.

It’s already been wildly successfully at their family maple farm in Hampden, so it was time for the big leagues.

“We serve this hot dog, the maple bacon hot dog at our farm now and we had a lot of people asking about it and wanting to see it at The Big E, so this is our first year with it,” Ferrindino explained. “We think people will like it and it’ll be a perfect meal for The Big E.”

The hot dog is just one of many new items that will satisfy fairgoers this year. Western Mass News also had the chance to try items like Nashville hot chicken pizza, dill pickle cupcakes, and mac and cheese varieties. It’s an extensive, experimental menu that lets the local community shine.

Several vendors shared with Western Mass News that while they’re thrilled their offerings have been well-received, it’s now crunch time to satisfy as many stomachs as they can.

“Right now, we’re just trying to see how much we’ll need, how fast we’ll be able to keep up with demand…We hope it takes off and a lot of people like it,” Ferrindino said.

Thursday’s event was truly just a taste of what visitors will see added to this year’s menu. The entire list of the 65 new food item can be found below:

LIST OF NEW FOODS FOR THE 2023 BIG E

• Bacon Bomb, East Road: Bacon wrapped burger with barbecue sauce
• Waffleicious, Springfield Road: Stuffed waffles on a stick with a variety of toppings
• Dolly’s Honky Tonk, Industrial Avenue: Empanadas
• Top The Crust, Food Court: Nashville hot chicken pizza, caramel apple snicker dessert pizza, milkshakes (red velvet, cookies and cream)

• Luann’s Bakery, Front Porch: Frosting shots, cookies, variety of cupcakes
• Calabrese Market, Front Porch: Popping kettle corn
• Ferrindino Maple, Springfield Road: Ferrindino maple bacon hot dog, maple creemee sundae, maple creemee latte
• The Big E Bakery: Maple cream puff
• The Indian Restaurant, Food Court: Mix parathas (sweet and savory crepes)

• Harpoon Beer Hall, New England Avenue: Classic chopped cheese – soft roll filled with chopped beef topped with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle and secret sauce; Southwest – soft roll filled with chopped beef American cheese topped with caramelized onion, roasted peppers, tater tots, nacho cheese sauce and chipotle mayo; Bacon BBQ – soft roll filled with chopped beef, bacon, American cheese, topped with honey BBQ sauce and lettuce; New England Style – soft roll filled with chopped beef topped with American cheese, fried lobster, lettuce and tartar sauce.
• Veggie Patch, Commonwealth Avenue: Buffalo cauliflower wings and sweet chili cauliflower
• Las Kangris Food Truck, Young Building: Pinchos con salsa BBQ (chicken kabob with barbecue sauce (Puerto Rican Style w/garlic bread on top), Pork shoulder (Pernil) sandwich, Dessert 3 leches cake
• Cinnamon Saloon, Hampden Avenue: Oreo cookie cinnamon bun
• The Clam Box, Food Court: Hofbrauhaus venison sausage with spaetzle, clam fritter doughnut, fried spaetzle with cheese sauce

• Angela’s Pizza, Commonwealth Avenue - Mexican street corn pizza
• Cannoli King, Food Court: Canoli, cannoli donut, cannoli cake bomb and lobster tail
• Sassy’s Catering, East Road: Potato flights, sweet potato sushi
• Delucca’s, New England Avenue: Deep fried meatballs on a stick, Italian breaded mozzarella smothered in sauce
• Villa of Lebanon, Young Building: Baklava and honey balls
• New England Craft Beer Pub, Avenue of States: Thanksgiving nachos, charcuterie board
• All American Craft Beer Pub, Gate 7: Polish bomb - Jalapeno cheddar kielbasa patty, pickled onion, dill slaw and horseradish sauce; Pickle flight
• White Hut, Food Court: Hot dog poutine, hamburg poutine, disco fries – crispy french fries topped with gravy, hot dogs, famous fried onions, and topped with cheese curds

• Wurst Haus, Commonwealth Avenue: Hot Brat - Bratwurst Topped with Spicy Onion Chili Crisps, Cherry Pepper Relish and served in a Pretzel Roll; Chicago Red Hot Brat - Bratwurst Topped with Sport Peppers, Chicago Style Green Relish, Pickle, Tomato, Yellow Mustard, Diced Onion, and a dash of Celery Salt, served in a Pretzel Roll; Wurst Cheesy Bacon Brat - Bratwurst Topped with Beer Cheese Sauce, Crispy Bacon and served in a Pretzel Roll; Gebraten Potato Pancakes - Golden Fried Potato Pancakes topped with Bacon, Sour Cream, Sautéed Onions; Loaded Porky Pretzel Bites - Salty Pretzel Bites Topped with Honey Mustard Glazed Pulled Pork, Apple Sauerkraut, Crispy Pork Rinds; Salty Pretzel Bites with beer cheese dipping cheese; Bacon BBQ - soft roll filled with chopped beef, bacon American cheese, topped with honey BBQ sauce and lettuce; New England Style - soft roll filled with chopped beef topped with American cheese, fried lobster, lettuce, tartar sauce.
• Chick-Fil-A, East Road: Honey pepper pimento chicken sandwich, seasonal milkshakes
• Stella’s Milk and Cookies, Gate 9A: flavored muffins
• Sam Adams Beer Garden, Avenue of States: Island pizza

• Cha Feo, Young Building: Hong Kong waffle
• Craz-E Burger, New England Avenue: S’mores between a donut
• Emma’s Cookie Dough, Hampden Avenue: White chocolate cranberry and bacon berry cookie dough
• Fluffy’s, Gate 9A: Pickle donut
• West Springfield Lions Club, West Road: Chicken cordon bleu sandwich
• EB’s, Food Court: Twister fries smothered in American cheese sauce topped with real bacon bits and sour cream.
• Poppie’s, Industrial and New England Avenue: Pickle lemonade
• Big Kahuna, West Road: Dorito gyro, walking Greek gyro

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