Hand battered Corn Dogs! :) YUM!

  As I walked through the crowd at the festival I spotted several people eating the most wonderful looking corn dogs. They weren't your generic mass produced looking corn dogs that you generally see at fairs and festivals they were the kind grandma used to make. My mouth watered as I saw person after person eating the golden deep fried masterpieces. I HAD to have one....I circled the festival grounds in search of the homemade corn dog booth and began scratching my head on my 3rd pass through with no luck. Finally, after stopping someone who was delightfully eating one and carrying several more, I was directed to a small booth without a sign near the festival entrance. There I saw Wendy Smith busily hand battering and deep frying those beautiful corn dogs right there on the premises. As I approached the table I saw an inconspicuous sign taped to the table top that said "Curtis' Corn Dogs" I smiled and said, "You need a bigger sign" and Wendy informed me that she had made a bigger sign but it had blown off earlier. She looked as if she was FAR to busy to worry about making another and when I saw that the price of these golden jewels I knew why. They were only $2 each. What a deal, considering everything most everything else seemed to start at $4 and $5. Home made, easy to eat and economical to. I consider them to be the deal of the festival! That wasnt all! Wendy informed me that the recipe was her fathers, Curtis Smith" who had passed away but that he had began a family tradition of making the home made corn dogs back when the Railroad days festival was simply known as, "The country fair" in the small town of DeQuincy, Louisiana and that she was there to continue the tradition. A smile spread over her face as she told me the delightful story. I looked over at the variety of home made sweets such as banana bread loaves, chunks of chocolate cake, chocolate fudge, peanut butter fudge and divinity candy that sat on the table. Wendy told me that her mother "Virginia" made all the sweets and that she had always made them and sold them alongside her fathers famous corn dogs. She told me that her mom was making some of her special "Strawberry cake with cream cheese" icing for tomorrow. I was already impressed (and very hungry) but absolutely delighted when she told me that even though the sweets were marked $1.50 she only sells them for $1 :) WOW...what a deal! I ordered and ate 2 hand battered corn dogs while watching the Railroad days festival pageant from my lawn chair on the outdoor stage. Great weather, good friends, free entertainment, and good food...what more could you ask for :)
The Corn Dogs were all that I had expected! Heavier and a LOT more filling than your average mass produced modern corn dogs. The batter was rich and tasty. The texture and taste of real corn meal in a rich buttery batter surrounding a hot dog on a stick then deep fried to a golden brown perfection....mmmmm. I eat mine with a side of Ketchup and mustard for dipping. Mayonnaise was also available. I have to admit they were wonderful and served with Wendy's charming story I felt as if I was enjoying a piece of DeQuincy history itself. Im going back tomorrow for some of Virginia's Homemade Banana bread....and maybe a piece of that Strawberry cake with cream cheese icing. ;)