County fairs are right around the corner.

Sure, you may go for the 4-H exhibits or the entertainment. Maybe you're a fan of the midway or the Ferris wheel and Tilt-a-Whirl.Or it could be that none of those things are what lures you to your local fairgrounds.For some (most?) of us, it's the food.Where else can you find triple cheeseburger doughnuts or grilled pork chops on a stick.Have a hankering for fried food? Well, the fair is where you're likely to find just about anything deep fried, from Twinkies, to mozzarella sticks, to butter. (Yes. Butter.)The problem, however, is that these foods only come around once a year.Not anymore.Thanks to celebrity chef George Geary, you can now create dozens of these seasonal specialties in your own home with his latest cookbook, "Fair Foods: The Most Popular and Offbeat Recipes from America's State and County Fairs."Geary spent 28 seasons with the largest county fair in the country: the Los Angeles County Fair. He began as a judge and was later promoted to culinary coordinator, which put him in charge of all of the competitions and demonstrations, as well as doling out the ribbons and prizes and promotion.He's appeared as a critic or judge on numerous television shows, including "The Taste" with Anthony Bourdain and "Hell's Kitchen" with Chef Gordon Ramsey.He may best be known for creating all of the cheesecakes for "The Golden Girls" and other top-rated television programs. He's the author of numerous cookbooks.Geary's latest book includes 120 recipes and dozens of color photographs depicting tasty treats as well as a sampling of food-related, fair-themed images.There are five sections: Drinks, Sweet & Savory Snacks, Fried Everything, The Main Event and of course, Desserts & Treats.Try your hand at Spicy Peanut Butter and Jelly Cheeseburgers, Fried Coca-Cola or Cheesecake on a Stick.There's a recipe for the perfect old-fashioned lemonade to cool you down when it's hot, or Witches' Brew, a citrusy, rum-infused warm cider to chase away the chill on a crisp autumn night.Just flipping the pages of this carnival cookbook will have your mouth watering and your fingers itching to head into the kitchen and get cooking. And the best part, you can treat yourself any day of the year."Fair Foods: The Most Popular and Offbeat Recipes from America's State and County Fairs" (Santa Monica Press) is available now and retails for $24.95.Grilled Corn on the CobServes 66 large ears of corn1 small bunch tarragon1 small bunch thyme1 small bunch rosemaryPeel one side of the corn away from the cob without removing it completely, and loosen the remaining husk. Do not remove the silk. Insert branches of the herbs against the kernels and smooth the husk back to its original shape around the herbs and corn.Place the corn directly on the coals of a grill. Cover the grill with a foil tent to trap the heat. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes, then remove from heat and serve.Deep-Fried TwinkiesMakes 6 Twinkies6 Twinkies3 cups all-purpose flour3 tablespoons sugar3 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon baking soda¾teaspoon sea salt1 cup buttermilk½cup whole milk3 large eggs3 tablespoons unsalted butter, meltedCanola oilPowdered sugarSkewer each Twinkie and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for 2 hours.Meanwhile, prepare the batter: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, whole milk, eggs and melted butter. Pour into flour mixture and blend just until smooth.In a Dutch oven, heat 2 inches of canola oil over medium heat to 375 F. Working with 2 at a time, dip the Twinkies into the batter until fully coated. Place in the hot oil, turning after a few seconds until all sides have reached a light brown color, about 4 to 6 minutes.Drain on paper towels, then dust with powdered sugar.