Did you know that there's only one language in the world that can't be traced to any other language?
Any guesses what it might be?
How about a hint?
That wasn't very helpful, was it?
Have you heard of Euskari?
It's spoken by the Basque people, who inhabit an area of land (Euskadi) in the northeastern region of Spain and the southwestern region of France.
People are often shocked to learn that Boise, Idaho has the largest population of Basques outside of Basque country! It also hosts Jaialdi, one of the most celebrated Basque festivals in the world, every five years.
Why am I talking about this seemingly unknown language, culture and festival?
Well, let's backtrack a little…When I arrived at the airport yesterday, I found out that my flight to Minneapolis was VERY delayed. The delay meant that I was going to miss my connection to DC!
Aargh! (is what I said.)
But there was a silver lining: I was able to enjoy the Jaialdi festivities last night!
I met Meg, Laura and Kyla downtown around 7:30.
We walked around for a bit, taking in the music, dancing and the enticing aroma of lamb and chorizo.
This, however, was the HIGHLIGHT:
CROQUETTAS!
OMG. Fried balls of creamy, potatoey, cheesy goodness.
I managed to snag two from Kyla.
Six for $4!? Definitely NOT a bargain. But totally worth it. My taste buds were tangoing.
Here's the deal: I have not enjoyed fried foods in YEARS. Anything cooked in hot oil has been banned from my book.
I know that two small croquettas is a far cry from a splurge, but this was a big step forward in learning to grant myself permission to enjoy "not-so-good-for-you goodies" every now and then.
What makes fried food so tasty? Well, there's no beating around the bush: it's all in the fat, folks. Creating that delicate, crispy crunch requires oil or animal lard.
Before you cringe, get this: Evidence suggests that that deep frying retains more antioxidant capacity in some vegetables compared to other cooking methods like boiling or pan frying.
When potatoes, eggplant and artichokes were fried, their antioxidant counts INCREASED!
Maybe I reaped some nutritional benefits from those croquettas! 
Am I suggesting you buy a deep fryer and start submerging your veggies in bubbling oil? Nope. (But they sure would taste good!). The advantages associated with frying vegetables is probably so slight, that it makes very little impact.
I will say this though: if you enjoy fried foods, it's OKAY to eat them every now and then. Just don't justify the crunching in the name of nutrition!
Got a hankering for some fried deliciousness?
Maybe this Delish.com list of the best state fair fried foods will entice your taste buds!
A few on the list that I find most intriguing:
1. Chicken Fried Bacon
2. Fried Avocado Bites
Holy guacamole! Totally unnecessary, but I bet I'd love these!
3. Spaghetti and Meatball on a Stick
4. Fried Flog Legs
5. Pizza Cones
6. Krispy Kreme Chicken Sandwich
7. Deep Fried Twinkies
8. Fried Coca Cola
Have a wonderful Wednesday! I'm off to the airport to make a second attempt at flying to DC! It's thunderstorming here, so I'm thinking my flight may be delayed again! Fingers crossed!
xoxo
Have you ever tried any of the items listed above?
What is your favorite fried food?
Favorite faux fried food?
Baked sweet potato fries for me!
