The Republic of Cuba and President Fidel Castro have made one thing abundantly clear to the Commonwealth of Kentucky: They want our funnel cakes.

        During an agricultural trade show in Cuba last week, funnel cakes from Weisenberger Mill in Midway, Ky., were one of the big hits.

        “Folks were just taking those faster than you can make them,” said Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Billy Ray Smith, who led a Kentucky delegation to the show. Six Kentucky companies and 13 producers joined Mr. Smith in the first U.S. agricultural show held on in Cuba since the 1950s.

        Cuba committed to buying $7 million in Kentucky goods — including funnel cake mix — over the next year. Mr. Smith and Kentucky business leaders had hoped to get, at best, half that much.

        “We're just thrilled beyond belief,” said Mr. Smith. “Cuba spends $133 million on imports from the United States each year and spent $100 million this week. If we walk away with $7 million, we've doubled our fair share.”

        Mr. Smith said Kentucky benefited by offering what he calls niche items. Among the most popular were the funnel cakes, oak bourbon barrels for storing rum, beef jerky, bourbon balls, country ham, lumber, pickles and jelly.

        Kentucky's abundance of red cedar was also a bonus because Cuba makes its cigar boxes out of the wood, which the Kentucky delegation was unaware of until the visit.

        After meeting personally with Mr. Castro and presenting the baseball fan with a Louisville Slugger bat, Mr. Smith is confident about future relations with Cuba.

        “We're not looking for a one-time deal. ... We want to build a relationship and make them a repeat customer.”

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