Why just fry potatoes when there’s the choice of every vegetable under the sun?

You can wait for June to come
around, or you can make
carnival cuisine at home.

I first moved to Pittsburgh in the spring of 1985, and people were anxious to advise me of the wonders of their fair city. It had just been named “America’s Most Livable City” in a Rand McNally study, based on a combination of factors from housing and education to cultural resources, transportation and so on. Nearly everyone included the Three Rivers Arts Festival as one of the premier events of the year, so I was anxious to attend and see what all the excitement was about. And was I impressed!

As I walked from my car, the streets were filled with people young and old, streaming toward the Point. But when I got to the area where the main art exhibits were placed, the crowd was surprisingly sparse. Walking a little farther, I discovered the real reason why Pittsburghers love the Arts Festival and are willing to brave monsoon rains, steamy temperatures and any kind of discomfort to attend—the food booths. People were lined up 10 deep to get funnel cakes, curly fries, kielbasa sandwiches, sausage and peppers, chicken on a stick and dozens of other deep-fried delicacies. Well, maybe “delicacy” is not the appropriate nomenclature for these heavy-duty, festival-related fun foods. My experience of carnival cuisine had been limited to the more New York-oriented treats available along Mermaid Avenue in Coney Island: things like potato knishes, Nathan’s hot dogs and frozen custard. Although the details change, the philosophy is the same: This is another world with different rules.

To paraphrase the new Las Vegas slogan, “What you eat at the Arts Festival stays at the Arts Festival.” When you are out to lunch with your friends or co-workers, you might virtuously select a small salad with dressing on the side. But the same person will have no qualms about devouring a pound of sweet batter drizzled into a vat of boiling fat and then sprinkled with powdered sugar—even though that one treat might be the caloric equivalent of a year’s worth of luncheon salads. During the carnivale that precedes the Lenten season of fasting and self-denial, people used to wear masks to conceal their identities from their neighbors as they indulged their weaknesses before the time of mortification. So drag that deep fryer up from the basement, close the blinds and treat yourself to an Italian indulgence called frito misto. There are seafood and vegetarian versions of this dish, and both are decadent enough to have a booth of their own at the Arts Festival.

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TOP 10 ESSENTIALS FOR COOKING
Here's my top-10 list of kitchen essentials for a well-equipped kitchen:

1. An 8-inch chef knife and 3-inch paring knife. Make sure they are high-carbon stainless, forged knives. Avoid the "82-knife set."

2. Cutting board. I favor nylon or bamboo. In either case, make sure it is lightweight and at least 12-by-20-inches.

3. Measuring cups and spoons. You'll need a 2-cup and a 4-cup liquid measuring cup, a set of measuring cups for dry ingredients and a set of measuring spoons. Stainless steel is the most durable.

4. A 12-inch nonstick skillet with cover. Tri-ply such as All-Clad is the best for even heating. This pan does everything from omelets to sautés.

5. An 8-quart stock pot. This is essential for boiling pasta, steaming vegetables or making large batches of chili, soups and stews.

6. Colander. Get stainless steel with firmly riveted handles.

7. A 3-quart covered saucepan. This rounds out your pots-and-pans inventory for small boiling projects and heating canned soups.

8. A four-sided cheese grater. Freshly grated cheese is a big flavor boost for your cooking. This tool is also useful for grating vegetables and shredding lemon zest.

9. Sheet pan. This inexpensive pan has raised sides and can be used to bake cookies, breads and pizza, or to roast vegetables and meats.

10. A 6-quart slow cooker. This is a working couple's best friend. Ten minutes of prep in the morning yields a dinner entree and loads of leftovers. The models with the thickest insert provide the slowest, most-even cooking. Be sure it's at least a 5-quart capacity.

- Chris Fennimore