Crickets, goat's head, kangaroo leap out on the Calgary Stampede's new midway menu

If you can deep fry it, stuff it, serve it on a stick or smother it in gravy, you'll probably find it on the midway at this year's Calgary Stampede.

Two-foot mini doughnuttowers. Giant squid skewers.Flaming Hot Cheeto bowls. Deep fried, bacon-wrapped Reese's cups. Korean tater tot poutine. Charcoal ice cream. Those are just some of the edibles you'll find among the 50 new offerings at this year's 10-day extravaganza.

Adventurous foodieswill want to keep an eye out forsome rather unconventional proteins featured this year, from crickets to kangaroo and even goat head.

Calgary Stampede food taste test

6 years ago

Duration 1:02

Lifestyle blogger Ryan Massel samples 4 foods and gives us his verdict.

Cricket grilled cheese

Promising to be equal parts gooey and crunchy, this sandwich is served on a thick Texas-style toast with a blend of four cheeses.

Kangaroo-stuffed burger

It's a burger stuffed with kangaroo meat, served with all the fixings on a hamburger bun. The Stampede reckons "this is the first time this has been served outside of Australia."

Goat's head soup

Traditionally known in Jamaican culture as Manish Water, this soup is packed with tripe, dumplings, carrots and yams all in a goat's head broth.

Sushi doughnut

It's salmon, masago, picked radish and everything else you might want in a sushi roll, but wrapped around a doughnut-shaped rice patty. What more needs to be said?

Wine and cheese

No fancy cheese knives or wine glasses necessary; in fact, fingers only, if you please.

Thiswine-infused cake has been deep fried in bite-sized pieces and is paired with squeaky cheese curds and wine jelly for dipping.

Beef and chicken pho-ritos

This tortilla-wrappedmeal givesnew meaning to pho to go. It's everything you'd find in the delicious bowl of Vietnamese soup, but served up burrito style with a secret pho sauce.

Cricket caramel apple

Again with the crickets, this time for dessert. These honey-flavoured, oven-roasted crickets add a protein-packed crunchto the classic caramel covered apple.

Cheesy chicken hearts

A crisp exterior, a dash of spice, and a gooey, offal filling. Chicken is chicken, right?

Kit Kat fries

A dessert for those who believe that deep frying anything somehow makes it taste better.

Kangaroo pizza

It's the cured kangaroo sausage that really makes this tomato, mozzarella, basil and mushroom pie jump out from the rest.