It’s back: A plethora of new midway eats have flooded the Stampede Grounds for The Greatest Outdoor 
Show On Earth. Whether you’re into sweet, savoury, deep fried, food on a stick or downright weird, you can find something to satisfy your cravings.
As for myself, old habits die hard and I just HAD to try The Godfather Mac ‘n Cheese from Reel Mac and Cheese. Since trying their Million Dollar Baby Mac ‘n Cheese two years ago, I’ve been hooked. Following up last year’s addition of Jurassic Pork, the Italian-inspired dish just seemed like a logical step and I was not disappointed in the slightest. Creamy macaroni and cheese topped with Italian meatballs and spaghetti sauce, what could be better? At the fairly reasonable price of $12.00, you get a very filling helping of glorious cheesy goodness, which should be enough to hold you over for a whole afternoon. I am a huge fan of Reel Mac and Cheese’s base pasta and cheese sauce because it’s perfectly al dente and the sauce is flavourful without being overwhelming or too salty. It is my holy grail and I could not be happier every time I get to taste its wonderfully cheesy goodness.
 Instead of trying a bunch of the new foods like in previous years, I stuck to my go-to mac ‘n cheese and then decided to go for some of the more established eats, specifically the deep fried goodness that is fair food. Now, I’ve had homemade corn dogs and other various deep fried treats, but I had never tried deep fried pickles or Oreos. As a strong proponent of everything Oreo, I knew that it would be amazing (which they were OH MY GOODNESS THEY ARE THE ELIXIR OF LIFE), but I was a bit
skeptical about the pickles at first. They came with a side of ranch (always a good idea) and I cautiously drenched my first slice of pickle in it, which was absolutely unnecessary. They were a strange combination of hot, salty, sour and breaded, which I never thought would be any good
but I could not have been more wrong in that respect. I definitely recommend that you give them a try if you have a chance and are willing to give them a chance.
With a whole bunch of weird, wacky and wonderful treats to try at Stampede this year, it’s sure to be a crowd pleaser. Try something new, succumb to your cravings and enjoy it! For the complete list of new dishes on the midway this year, check out the Calgary Stampede blog here.
