Cows, Mullets, and...Tartiflette?

This past weekend AH and I were lucky enough to attend la Salon d'Agriculture.  Being that I've been having some minor bouts of homesickness lately (only partially satisfied by AH's willingness to somehow track down all the ingredients to make cheesy potato casserole), let's see how this event stacked up against it's closest U.S. equivalent, the State Fair:

Whoa, are we in Ohio?:  Cows!  Lots and lots of cows! (And sheep, and pigs, etc.).

Nope, still France:  As you may have noticed it is not quite summertime (although I swear it's a matter of mere weeks before I'm gallivanting about coatless again), so the event was held in a large expo center.  Just not quite State Fair-like if it's not so hot that your thighs stick to the pleather seat of the death-trap of a ride you're exiting.

Whoa, are we in Ohio?:  Ridiculous-looking chickens.  They are my FAVORITE THINGS.

Nope, still France:  I saw all manner of curious chickens back in my days at the Ohio State Fair, but this was definitely my first fancy pigeon with curly feathers.

Whoa, are we in Ohio?: Bunnehs! Big, fat, tubsy rolly bunnehs!  And look:

It's a Californian!  However...

Nope,  still France: This, as AH the former country boy pointed out me, was a meat rabbit.  And the difference is that here, there is actually a chance that this cute little critter could end up on a plate in a restaurant not far from my table.

Whoa, are we in Ohio?:  Booths selling cowbells (and here is the link, since I know you want to go and watch it now: http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/80a71ef8cb/more-cowbell)

We'd better still be in France:  Because this way I can chalk this up to some poor French person mistakenly hearing from some delusional crackpot that the Confederate flag is actually an American symbol of state's rights.

Yup, definitely France: the food booths were all regional specialties, so lots of sausages and wine, and not a deep-fryer as far as the eye could see.

Yup, France:  Wow, their version of being tacky is putting down fake cobblestone carpeting.  Step back and let the Big Boys show you how tacky is done, my friends.

I'm...not sure?:  A marching band made up of people dressed as chefs?

Yeah, I can't...:  Giant papier mache goose?

Ohio!:  Aww look, it's a golden retriever!

Adorably imperialistic and snooty looking cat? Yeah, I'm giving this one to France.

Ok, time for final stack-up...

A Native American on an American flag.

"Oh really," says France.  "I'll see your silly flag and raise you...

brioche made in the shape of la Tour Eiffel!" 

"Fine," says Ohio.  "Native American on a flag didn't do it.  How about...

"JOHN MOTHER F-ING WAYNE? Seriously, the only way I could make that more American is to deep-fry it."

"Amusing," says France.  "But I shall remove the possibility of any further comparisons between our celebration of our sacred terrior to your silly State Fairs thusly: 

BEHOLD!  IT IS A VACHE IN A BERET!  SUCK IT!" 

Oh France, you win again.  Although I did see enough people with mullets to being counting them (my favorite State Fair game), so maybe I should say we all lose.