A fair playing field for allhobbyists and hucksters

At the tail end of Chinese new year, temple fairs with their treats, amusements, folk performances and crowds are packed away and put into storage until next Spring Festival. In southern parts of the United States, however, the equally popular county and state fairs are in full swing.

These fairs share some elements with China's temple variety, including the much-anticipated food stalls selling local and exclusive delicacies. Food on a stick is popular no matter what the cultural palate, especially if it's deep fried.

In the US, hot dogs, meatballs, ice cream, cakes and even slabs of butter are washed down with a cold bottle of Budweiser. In China, it's lamb, fish balls, silkworms and scorpions with a lukewarm draft of Yanjing.