Fried Oreos, french fries and family traditions. The food at the Columbus Spring Fling
The return of pollen on the hoods of our vehicles indicates Spring has finally arrived in the Chattahoochee Valley. With the return of Spring also comes the return of the Spring Fling outside the Columbus Civic Center.
Being from Dothan, I’m used to the fair-like event called the National Peanut Festival the city of Dothan hosts yearly, which pays homage to the significance the crop has played in the area known as the Peanut Capital of the World.
This was my first time at the Spring Fling, and I wanted to try something I’ve always seen and heard of but never have tried: fried Oreos.
I was dreading the first bite but was surprised when I enjoyed the flavor. The fried Oreo tastes like a chocolate funnel cake with a creamy and sweet inside. I was worried the chocolate wafer of the cookie would still be firm, but I was delighted when I found the frying process had made the wafer soft but not mushy.
After eating those fried Oreos, I thought I’d tap out because I had a late lunch. However, Ledger-Enquirer visual journalist Mike Haskey convinced me to grab some french fries, and I’m glad he did.
Only accepting cash, Cullers’ French Fries serves their fries in a paper cone with the name of their business on them. Keith Cullers is the third generation of Cullers to work the stand selling fresh-cut fries from Idaho potatoes. Cullers said the business is entering its 71st year.
The fries were amazing. They had a nice crispy outside, a warm and soft inside and a fresh potato taste. I decided to be like our friends across the pond (Britain) and put some vinegar on my fries. However, this wasn’t malt vinegar but apple cider vinegar.
The vinegar gave the fries a nice tang with just a hint of apple sweetness. Had I not already been so full, I probably would’ve gotten a few more orders.
Walking by another stand, I saw another dessert I don’t believe I’ve ever tried: an elephant ear.
It’s a lightly fried flatbread, crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside and coated with butter and topped with cinnamon sugar.
And it was delicious. It reminded me of a mix between a churro, cinnamon breakfast cereal and the cinnamon sugar toast I grew up eating for breakfast some days. However, this was a million times better.
The dough had a slightly sweet flavor. The elephant ear was also huge — so much so, I asked them wrap a good portion of it to save for later.
The stand, called Original Elephant Ears, is operated by the mother and son duo of Vincent Carroll and Carmen Carroll. Vincent said the stand uses homemade dough from his grandfather’s recipe.
Carmen said the stand was started by her father, Art Carroll, in 1944. In the forefront of the stand are multiple awards the stand has received at fairs across the country.
“I want to make my dad proud of me, and I think I did,” Carmen said, “And I hope he (her son) does the same for me.”
The Spring Fling lasts until Sunday at 9 p.m. The hours of operation are:
- Wednesday & Thursday: 5-9 p.m.
- Friday: 5-9 p.m.
- Saturday: 11 a.m.-10 p.m
- Sunday: 12:30- 9 p.m.