There’s a new addition to the edible animal lineup at this year’s Spokane Interstate Fair, which opens Friday.

Along with corn dogs and elephant ears, hungry fairgoers can get ostrich burgers (served up by the Lions Club, no less). A burger with lettuce, tomato and onion goes for $4; for $6.50, you also get fries, a large drink and coleslaw or Jell-O.

For those of you who still haven’t heard, ostrich is actually a red meat, but with a fraction of the fat of beef. Food gurus expect it to be one of the next big trends, once the supply increases and prices come down.

“It fills a tremendous void for people who need to change their lifestyle and haven’t lost their taste for red meat,” says Judy Vogel, the Newman Lake ostrich grower who’s supplying the Lions with ground meat for the fair.

Vogel also is taking orders for custom-slaughtered ostrich, in larger quantities. For information, call 226-0454.

Hens forth

If smaller birds are more your style, there’s still time to enter the National Chicken Cooking Contest, with its grand prize of $25,000.

One finalist from each state (and the District of Columbia) will be chosen to prepare their dish in a cook-off next April in South Carolina. The only requirements are that the recipe is original, contains chicken, serves four to eight and takes three hours or less to prepare; otherwise, let your imagination run free (like a free-range chicken or something).

Send entries, including your name, address and telephone number, by Oct. 15 to NCCC, Box 28158 Central Station, Washington, DC 20038-8158. For more information, call (202) 296-2622.

Cow hand

So you’d like to make more beef dishes, but you don’t know your porterhouse from a hole in the ground?

A free, 36-page booklet, “Confident Cooking With Beef,” includes a chart of various cuts, information on serving, storage and handling, cooking tips and recipes ranging from Grecian Steak Salad to Roasted Ribeye & Root Vegetables. Send a stamped, self-addressed, business-sized envelope to the Washington State Beef Commission, Denny Building, 2200 6th Avenue, Suite 105, Seattle, WA 98121.

Nutty for Ross, perhaps?

In honor of the presidential campaign, Dreyer’s is releasing three of its ice creams under new names: Clinton ‘n Cream (Cookies ‘n Cream), Cookie Dole (Cookie Dough) and Nutty for Neither (Rocky Road). Each quart purchase counts as one vote, so start stuffing your ballot box.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Drawing

MEMO: We’re always looking for fresh food news. Write to: The Fresh Sheet, Features Department, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210. Call 459-5446; fax 459-5098.