Bryan Cole / The Collegian
Few know what ingredients are in those cinnamon rolls, but people at the Fresno Fair just seem to love them. They are just — too good.
The Fresno Fair features a variety of food items that can cause a stir. There are deep-fried Twinkies, massive corn dogs and barbecued tri-tip sandwiches. But one item served at the fair always draws a crowd of loyal customers: the Country Fair cinnamon rolls.
What makes them unique? The cream cheese topping.
While cream cheese may not seem like the kind of topping people would request for a cinnamon roll, it is very much in demand.
“We call it our ‘adult frosting,’â€Â Country Fair cinnamon roll cashier Janis Dale said. “As sweet as our cinnamon rolls taste, the flavor of the cheese only makes it better.â€Â
While Dale could explain some ingredients of the cinnamon rolls, she said she couldn̢۪t reveal every ingredient because the recipe is a family secret.
Fair fare a favorite
Some fairgoers only attend the fair for the cinnamon rolls.
“I worked the fair last year and I would buy [a cinnamon roll] every day I was here,â€Â said Jason Newell of Fresno. “My friend who I worked with would always tell me I’m crazy, but I had to have them.”
Maggie Simms, a Fresno State sociology major, said the cinnamon rolls are the best tasting food at the fair.
“It’s a tradition. When my family goes to the fair, we go for the cinnamon rolls,â€Â Simms said. When asked about how she enjoys a cinnamon roll, she said, “Oh, I totally ate the whole thing.â€Â
One customer walked into the fair for a six pack of fresh cinnamon rolls, and immediately left.
“They are so bomb,â€Â Fresno City College student Anthony Price said. “I haven’t tried the cream cheese topping. [It] sounds like a bad idea.â€Â
“Oh, they’re so good,â€Â said Fresno State kinesiology major Brian Murphy. “Now I have to buy some to take home for my girlfriend because if she finds out I came down here and didn’t get her one, I’ll be in trouble.â€Â
Cinnamon rolls turn into college
So besides the popular taste and tradition of cinnamon rolls, what is it that makes these rolls so special?
“It’s comfort food. It’s like the kind of food Grandma would put on the kitchen table for you,â€Â said Dale.
“It’s a family business. We’ve been in business for 30 years,â€Â Dale said. Dale explained that her family has been able to put her son and daughters through college with money they raised through the cinnamon rolls.
After years of serving cinnamon rolls, one might think venders like Dale may no longer enjoy the taste. But in her case, the cinnamon rolls are part of the daily routine.
“We can’t smell the cinnamon when we work anymore,â€Â Dale said. “But we all still have one cinnamon roll per day.â€Â