My mom made these every year to pack for our lunch when we went to the State Fair. We'd walk around the fair for a few hours. We'd see the biggest pig and some teams of Clydesdale pulling polished coaches having a competition in the Coliseum or watch a demonstration of dogs doing long jumps into a big pool. There were so many things to see! The 4-h projects, a marching band, an old fashioned threshing machine, a historic village, fiber arts, giant fish in the conservation center, antique tractors, live music, mammoth pumpkins, and a specially carved pumpkin with a scene of the fair or something iconic about our state, large tractors driving shuttles that we'd have to scurry out of the road to let pass, and on and on. The lunch hour would come and then we'd head back to the van and have a picnic. We'd pull the cooler out, lay down a blanket and feast on slices of Ham and Cheese Braid dipped in horseradish sauce, homemade cookies, fresh grapes, and chips, maybe some baby carrots, too. After our bellies were full and the water bottles had been replenished we'd go back and see more of the fair. State Fair days were always long and hot and full of sights, sounds, and smells. The feeling on the drive home was so raw: I couldn't wait to get back to my happy, quiet home, but I was glad to have so many memories of the big, wide bustling fair in my mind. And I was just so grateful to have my family around me; of all the people that I had bumped shoulders with in the crowds during the day, I got to go home with the best people in the whole wide world - my favorite people - my family.
This year I made Ham and Cheese Braid to take to our State Fair. We don't do the whole picnic at the van. We bought corn dogs for lunch. We had Ham and Cheese bread for a snack and to keep us from having to buy supper from the vendors, though.
I had fun making Ham and Cheese Braid after so many years. I thought it would be fun to make a video about the process and it was a fun project. Here is my little video. You can see how to make a Ham and Cheese Braid. My mom uses ham, provolone, and deli salami. I substituted summer sausage for the salami because I am to cheep to buy anything from the deli counter. Sorry for being so stingy.
Looks really yummy! Can't wait to try it when the weather cools down.
ReplyDeleteI hope you like these as much as we do!
ReplyDeleteI love your post! We went to the IN State Fair on Wednesday and it was as always one of my favorite days. My first trip ever there was your due date and I had an OB appointment that day and they said I could safe continue to wait so since daddy took off work and we had the rest of the day we went to the State Fair for the first time. We took several years off but when we started going again we planned it every year. I loved the grand piano in the Home and Arts building that you wanted to play and then you did along with the whole competition! I love the fashion revues you and Haley competed in too. And your ham and cheese roll looks great and the video was very well done. I could smell it ;). 450 is a bit high on temp though. I probably do it between 375-400. I’ll have to get the recipe out and remind myself. I’m so glad you loved the tradition and carry it on with your own family. ❤️
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mommy!
DeleteI liked reading the story of the first time you went to the State Fair and how I was part of the story, in a way.
The piano competitions and the fashion reviews are grand memories that go along with all the other State Fair memories, too. That you for adding those.
And thank you for mentioning that you bake your at 375°-400°.Mine turned out good at 450°, but that may be due to using a toaster oven.
This looks so delicious! Thank you for the recipe and video. I bet it would be amazing with puff pastry too!
ReplyDeleteThank you for leaving a comment!
DeleteIt would be hard to go wrong using puff pastry. I wouldn't have thought of it on my own, but I did just read a book with a recipe for puff pastry pizza by Jamie Oliver, and since I use pizza dough in this Ham and Cheese Braid maybe puff pastry could be substituted.