Ah, the fair. The rides, the games, the racing pigs. Whatever it is you make a beeline for, no trip to the South Florida Fair is complete without fair food.

Each year, they seem to come up with something more outlandish to deep-fry. And even though it’s just a few weeks after making our New Year’s resolutions, it is somehow acceptable that we will be partaking. It’s the fair, after all – how can you not treat yourself? It’s as integral a part of the experience as visiting the baby chicks.

This year, armed with a few brave friends, I set out on a fried dessert sampling mission.

We started with the perennial favorite from George’s Fun Food: fried Oreos ($5). While we missed the usual crack of the Oreos at first bite, we were surprised to find they weren’t over-the-top sweet, unlike the fried Snickers. The Oreos were well-received all around. (But beware of the extra powdered sugar.)

Next up, the Red Velvet Funnel Cakes, also from George’s. Intrigued by the adaptation on such a beloved classic, we tried this monster ($8). First strike was the too-sweet cream cheese frosting. Second was the too-thick dough that led to a sogginess in parts. We nibbled at the crispy bits, wishing we had stuck with tradition.

The rest of the funnel cake went into the trash and we went on about our tour of food vendor row. I lingered at an exotic food booth that sells kangaroo meat. I almost bought their fried Skittles, but couldn’t quite eat food from a booth that also sells consumable bugs. We continued our jaunt.

And then we struck gold: we found the fried food mecca, the tent boasting its deep-fried Oreos, Twinkies, Snickers, S’mores, Pop Tarts, Peanut Butter-and-Jelly, Grilled Cheese, 3 Musketeers and Milky Way. We ordered the PB & J and the Buckeyes – a treat I make frequently at home that consists of peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate.

The PB & J is ready first ($5), and it’s a bready monster. A zap of flavor hits you from between the layers of bread and fried dough – a hint of peanut butter and jelly fighting through the fried bread. Two (small) bites are enough.

But then the best bite of the afternoon arrives. The Buckeyes ($5 for 5). They’re the unexpected surprise, oozing with generous amounts of peanut butter that complimented the fried dough. The peanut butter is piping hot and can stick to the roof of your mouth if you’re not careful. On the bright side, the Buckeyes are served on toothpicks, so your hands don’t get greasy.

Hot or not, we gobbled almost all of them up, thankful to find fair food perfection.

IF YOU GO: The South Florida Fair runs through Feb. 3; visit www.SouthFloridaFair.com for more information.