They advertise that their Snowball is “better than a Blizzard.”

It’s tough to argue.

The stand inside the stadium titled "Soft Ice Cream - Root Beer Float" (I couldn't find its actual name written anywhere) sells its answer to Dairy Queen’s iconic treat. For $4.50, they mix a cup full of ice cream with crumbled candy. I opted for Butterfinger.

It tasted very similar to the DQ product, but the candy bar seemed like it was crumbled up even more finely. That all of the ice cream taste like Butterfinger. And that’s not a bad thing at all.

It was noticibly smoother and not nearly as thick as a Blizzard. I’m the last guy to crack on a Blizzard, but this seemed like an upgrade. And a great way to cool down and finish off a day of gorging on food.

Next stop: the gym. I knew I should have brought some ipecac with me.

Brian and I have been telling you where is good to eat. Well, allow me a second to let me tell you where not go buy a drink.

The Sausage Shack.

The price seemed reasonable (by fair standards): $3.25 for a 24-ounce Diet Coke. The kid with my cup fills it about halfway with ice and begins to pour the drink. He’s about three-fourths of the way finished when the woman at the register stops him and snaps at him. “You’re not doing it right,” she said. “You gotta fill it all the way with ice.”

She puts even more ice cubes in my drink, making my 24-ounce cup able to hold about 2 or 3 drops.

That ain’t customer service, and I sure ain’t gonna eat at the Sausage Shack ever again.

It was greasy. It was big. It had cheese.

The Cheesequake Burger was basically the perfect lunch.

Scott Oberstaller, a designer on our sports desk, once told me that the Earthquake Burger (and its American cheese-topped cousin, the Cheesequake) was larger than my head. That’s a big statement. I have a size 8 hatband, meaning Barry Bonds looks like a pinhead compared to me.

But bigger than my head the burger was not. Tasty it was. If you’re expecting restaurant-style lean ground sirloin, you’ll be upset. But if you know that thin, fatty meat favored by a lot of fair vendors, then realize it’s on par with that. It’s also no frills: the bun, the patty and some onions. Condiments are on a cart next to the red, white and blue stand.

But it’s its size that makes the Cheesequake ($9.95) stick out. It’s the size of a small plate. And it made me want to stretch out on one of the brown picnic tables next to the stand for a nap.

My neighbor raves about Krusty Pups, so I made the corndog stand my first stop after Brian and I arrived at the fair. There are a few places to get the treats, including a funky ‘50sish silver building.

My pup cost $4. For an extra $6, I could add fries and a drink. (I passed.)

The first bite revealed something I suspected before I bought it: the corn dog was more corn (batter) than dog. That that there’s anything wrong with that. I’m of the belief that a good crab cake has more cake than crab, and ditto for a corndog – especially when most hot dogs can be safely described as “slaughterhouse leavings.”

I didn’t mind that deep-fried batter outdid the dog. The batter was crunchy (krusty?) on the outside and sweet on the inside. The dog was unremarkable – think what’s served at a company barbecue – but the overall taste worked. It’s fair food, after all.

While Scott's at the Puyallup eating everything, I'll be there, too, trying to resist the demo meisters.

We can count on seeing some new labor-saving, dirt-busting cash-minting marvel every year at the fair. And we can count on our old faves, like the knives that can cut through a can, then slice a ripe tomato.

I can't resist that stuff. We have the fancy ladder, the salsa maker, the knives, the glasses cleaner, the bottomless jar of Quik'n'Brite, the matte-cutting system, an unsatisfactory mop and a laundry folding gadget that really is the best thing since sliced bread. Sliced bread, incidentally, made its debut in the Modern Living pavilion at the Puyallup.

So, do you have any suggestions for the best demo? Do you love/hate any of the products you bought at the fair?

Let me know, and I'll share some of your best and worst in Monday's column.

Reporter Brian Everstine and I are heading to the Puyallup Fair to gorge ourselves on the company dime. Photos and tips coming soon.

I will be meeting this morning with Rabbi Zalman Heber about his plans for a synagogue in Tacoma's West End neighborhood (see the previous few posts about the neighbors' reaction.)

And later, reporter Brian Everstine and I are heading to the Puyallup Fair to eat food and write about it. I'll have the market cornered on all things animal-based (mmmm, burgers and corn dogs) while Brian is writing from the vegetarian perspective (but we won't hold it against him). Any thoughts about what I should eat?