CNE Snacks 2013: we try bacon milkshakes, chocolate-covered franks and more at this year’s culinary freak show

Hog, however, isn’t the only ingredient employed in utter excess. Also on offer: a battery of Nutella-shellacked snacks, including deep-fried bananas, oddly delicious jalapeño poppers and, for the truly intrepid, the ghastly marshmallow-studded Smore-Weenie. Here, a rundown on eight of the most absurdly gluttonous hits and misses, along with readouts from our finely calibrated regret-o-metre.

Name: Triple Threat What is it? A five-ounce prime rib patty topped with pulled pork, back bacon and cheddar cheese on an ACE Bakery bun Where to get it: The Gourmet Grill Tastes like: A fairly typical cheeseburger with a smoky Southern barbecue tang—and by far the best of the three monster-macs we sampled Price: $10 Regret-o-meter: 3/10

Name Spice Cream Cone What is it? A Nutella-smeared pizza dough cone topped with vanilla soft serve, bacon bits and chili flakes Where to get it: Just Cone It Tastes like: A palate-walloping, but not entirely unpleasant, mix of sweet, spice and salt. The only downside: the chewy, cardboard cone Price: $7.50 Regret-o-meter: 4/10

Name: Canuck Burger What is it? An all-pork patty topped with bacon strips, bacon bits, bacon mayo, peameal bacon and cheddar cheese Where to get it: Bacon Nation Tastes like: A ham-and-cheese sandwich on ’roids Price: $11 (or $33 as part of the Notorious P.I.G. combo platter, which satisfies your caloric requirements for a week) Regret-o-meter: 5/10

Name: Peanut Butter and Bacon Milkshake What is it? A peanut butter milkshake topped with bacon bits and a crisp bacon garnish Where to get it: Bacon Nation Tastes like: A standard vanilla milkshake with vaguely nutty undertones and the odd salt-punch from a soggy bacon morsel Price: $6 Regret-o-meter: 7/10

Name: Smore-Weenie What is it? A chocolate-dipped chicken dog rolled in graham cracker crumbs and mini marshmallows Where to get it: Maple Lodge Farms Tastes like: S’mores, with eyes closed tightly (although the springy chicken-dog texture is difficult to ignore) Price: $6 Regret-o-meter: 4

Name: Jalapop What is it? A deep-fried, cream cheese–stuffed jalapeno popper drizzled with Nutella Where to get it: Spread Nutellerie Tastes like: A pleasantly surprising upgrade on the sports bar snack with mild spice and a nutty finish Price: $7.05 Regret-o-meter: 1

Name: Bananza What is it? Deep-fried, tempura-battered bananas topped with Nutella, peanut butter, marshmallows, strawberries and icing sugar Where to get it: Spread Nutellerie Tastes like: A glorious, tasty mess (and thankfully devoid of animal flesh) Price: $9.75 Regret-o-meter: 2

Name: The Cronut Burger What is it? A cheeseburger encased in a cinnamon-sugar cronut from Le Dolci Bakery and topped with maple-bacon jam. The one we tried looked nothing like the enticingly flaky prototype that went viral earlier in the month Where to get it: Epic Burgers (the stall that invented the Krispy Kreme Burger) Tastes like: A sickly sweet mistake
Price: $10 Regret-o-meter: 10