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Feature: Vancouverites rejoice at carnival food paradise

Xinhua, August 28, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) in Canada's western city of Vancouver is once again causing sticky fingers and bulging belts among local people as the 105-year-old fair and exhibition resumes its role as a late summer carnival food paradise.

There are 71 food vendors set up at the PNE this year. And nearly one-third of those are new and seeking to stuff the bellies of roughly 750,000 people who will be coming through the gates over the next week and a half.

Among these vendors, the new Maple Bacon Donut Burger has been causing a lot of early intrigue.

Morgan Stremmel, owner of Top Notch Concessions, said their burgers were different from others.

"Well, what we do is we take your traditional bacon cheeseburger and we kick it up like four notches, because instead of using regular hamburger buns, we use two donuts with maple frosting, so we got a donut on the bottom, a donut on the top and then bacon, American cheese and a hamburger pattie in the middle. It's definitely very yummy," Stremmel told Xinhua on Thursday.

Their burgers look decadent, savory, and big - and it was full of calories. But apparently that doesn't really matter.

"Calories do not count at the fair because you're doing so much walking that you can eat whatever you want. And it doesn't add onto your waistline so you know you might as well go for the craziest thing you can find."

Rocky Point Ice Cream wanted to serve something that harkens back into the PNE's long history, but also something that would raise a few eyebrows.

The result is the Fat Elvis. Elvis Presley played at the PNE on August 31, 1957 in front of nearly 30,000 people. The show was one of only three that Elvis performed outside of the U.S. in his life.

For many Vancouver residents, coming to the PNE is an annual tradition as well as feasting at the fair.

Lynne Hellman, a PNE food fan, said she was born in Vancouver and coming to the PNE was just such a favorite thing to do.

"You have to do it every year. And there are always changes and additions and new entertainment, but of course the mini donuts is our favorite thing."

"Maple donut hamburger. Yeah, that's what we're going to have for supper... Well I think that would be a really good idea," she added with a smile. Endi