Food & Wine's America's Wacky Fair Foods Slideshow

Also known as Koolickles, pickles soaked in the sugary kids' beverage are a Southern tradition — and a sweet-and-sour snack at North Carolina's annual state fair.

When state fairgoers tired of the iconic rib eye steak sandwich, Indiana's Beef Cattle Association invented the Hot Beef Sundae, layered with mashed potatoes, marinated beef, gravy, cheese, corn "sprinkles" and a cherry (tomato).

Along with deep-fried crickets, the Arizona Exposition & State Fair's Chef du' Jour booth sells caramel apples dipped in mealworms.

One Florida State Fairgoer rationalized the appeal of a cheeseburger topped with deep-fried ice cream by describing the salty-sweet hybrid as a "milk-shake burger."

For more wacky foods like python kebabs (left), fried beer, fried butter balls, and deep-fried White Castle burgers, visit the rest of the slideshow.