Come Fry With Me: Florida State Fair Funnel Cake Queen "Mama Jane" Harris

The Florida State Fair will look a little different this year, due to the pandemic. But one thing remains the same: The food will be as over-the-top as ever. As usual, serving up your deep-fried favorites will be Jane Harris, better known as Mama Jane. She’s worked with The Best Around Concessions for more than 35 years. The Cape Coral-based company is owned by the McGrath family, and they have trailers selling everything from turkey legs to corn on the cob. But it’s Jane, who manages the funnel cake trailer, who’s become a media darling and fried dough virtuoso. Jane lives in Pensacola and travels to fairs across the U.S. and Canada about eight months out of the year. 

I spoke to Jane as she revved up to hit the Florida State Fair in Tampa. It kicks off today and runs through May 2. In our conversation, Mama Jane shares how to recreate fair food at home, she offers an approximate timeline for when some of your favorite fair foods were likely invented, and we’ll brainstorm names for her latest fried creation.

Hungry for more? Check out these conversations that celebrate guilty pleasures:

• “Burger Beast” Sef Gonzalez on Florida’s Best Hamburgers
• Real-Life Willy Wonka: Meet Peter Behringer of Sweet Pete’s in Jacksonville