MMM MMM GOOD? Nope. DARN good!

By Warren Black

Sometimes, people need to just tell it like it is. That’s what Andy and Nina Salinas do. All they need to say is, “Darn Good Corn,” and, judging from the lines that surround their booth every year at the State Fair of Texas, lots of people come running. But good food is not all the name represents. The acronym comes from the family’s first name initials — Danny (one of their sons), Andy, Robert (their other son) and Nina. Darn Good Corn is the quintessential fair food — roasted corn. 

Now in its 28th year, Darn Good Corn has been in the same location, in the shadow of the Ferris Wheel on the Midway, since 1976. 

Andy Salinas was born on the small border town of Garceno, Texas. His family picked cotton in the valley for $3 a day. After high school, Andy enlisted in the United States Marine Corp. He proudly served his country in the Vietnam War in 1966. 

Upon his return, Andy moved to the Dallas area for better opportunities to work. That’s when he met the love of his life, Nina, at the Hi-Ho Dance Club in Grand Prairie. They have been married for 53 years. During that time, Andy found himself working at the Cotton Bowl. His first concession idea was to sell nachos. He describes the concession business being completely different from the catering, hotel or restaurant businesses. 

The Salinas family now have multiple stands at the Fair. Their roasted corn is organically grown and then boiled. A condiments stand next to the booth offers name brand seasonings to customize fairgoers tasting experience. The original stand uses two $10,000 roasting machines, which can roast 320 ears of corn at 550 degrees every 35 minutes. 

Each year during the Fair, the family sells more than 35,000 ears of corn, 18,000 cups of corn and 16,000 frozen drinks. They also sell frozen sweet tea, frozen lemonade and the frozen Arnold Palmer — a mix of frozen tea and frozen lemonade. “It is best of the best and better than the rest,” Andy said proudly of his products. 

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