State Fair FOODS | The Fried Food Capital of Texas

I know a place where your tastebuds will jump and prance in excitement! A place where suddenly “green eggs and ham” no longer seem so strange, like foreigh food. A place where calories are of no concern. A place where Deep fryers reign the land and the batter never runs dry. A fatty’s, *cough* I mean foodie’s paradise: The State Fair of Texas!!! YES!! *insert Jafar laughter*

We can pretty much agree that FOOD is the #1 attraction to state fairs, and with The State Fair of Texas being the Fried Food Capital, there’s only one guess as to why millions attend each year. Sure the rides make your heart jump into your throat, the shows are eye-catching and the cars will keep your attention for about an hour, but the FOOD will feed a part of your brain reserved only for September 30 to October 23. More than just sustenance, it’s almost a 9th Wonder of the World to see what they’ll come up with next. You walk for miles across Fair Park only because your just that determined to find the fried food item your mind is set on. This year’s new fried food is : FRIED BUBBLEGUM. Is it REALLY bubble gum?? No, more like a marshmallow-y substance. But they still managed to deep fry whatever it is and take home the 2011 award for “Most Creative”. This year’s winner for Best Taste went to the Buffalo Chicken in a Flapjack.

This year’s Big Tex Choice Awards included the following competitors:

DEEP FRIED PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE
DEEP FRIED TEXAS SALSA™
EL BANANARITO
FRIED AUTUMN PIE
HANS’ KRAUT BALL
WALKING TACO

Here’s the list of winners over the last 6 years:

2005 Most Creative Viva Las Vegas Fried Ice Cream
2005: Best Taste Fried PB, Jelly and Banana Sandwich
2006: Most Creative Fried Coke
2006: Best Taste Fried Praline Perfection
2007: Most Creative Deep Fried Latte
2007: Best Taste Texas Fried Cookie Dough
2008: Most Creative Fried Banana Split
2008: Best Taste Chicken Fried Bacon
2009: Most Creative Deep Fried Butter
2009: Best Taste Fernie’s Deep Fried Peaches & Cream
2010: Most Creative Fried Beer™
2010: Best Taste Texas Fried FRITOS® Pie
2011: Most Creative Fried Bubblegum
2011: Best Taste Buffalo Chicken in a Flapjack

See anything you like? Maybe you saw some stuff that you have NEVER EVEN HEARD OF. Well, you’re gonna hear about it at the State Fair of Texas. Besides, isn’t this what the state fair is all about? FOOD!

I’m going to introduce you to some of the NEW foods to this year’s State Fair. (btw, most of them are Fried) It may be better if I leave the descriptions to your imagination, but then this wouldn’t be as fun right? First up we have Fried Naked Tamales – fresh tamales dipped in egg wash and rolled in masa harina para tamales (whatever that means). Next, Texas Steak Cone – a flour tortilla cone stuffed with mixed beans, juicy steak, chicken pico, shredded cheese, & sour cream.

The Heavenly Deep Fried Brownie will have you on Cloud 9 with its bite-sized battered chocolate decadence dusted with powdered sugar and served with chocolate-cherry syrup ambrosia (hold my cherry dressing please). Ever wondered how southern breakfast could be deep fried? Well the answer is in Deep Fried Biscuits and Gravy – a flaky biscuit filled with gravy and dipped in a light batter. Speaking of Southern, taste the new Deep Fried Southern Hospitality – its combination of seasoned pork, fresh collard greens and hot water cornbread, shaped in a cone and served on a stick will make you always feel welcome in the southernmost state. If that wasn’t enough consider the Praline Sweet Potato Poppers – sweet potatoes mashed and blended with a mixture of butter, brown sugar, brandy, orange zest, chopped pecans, ginger and marshmallows. Is anyone keeping record of calories yet? Want to give your blood pressure a scare? Get the Fried Pecan Caramel Candy. Sheesh, saying it just gave me a cavity. This sweet tooth fix consists of flattened caramel candy squares dipped in pecan chocolate batter, topped off with a buttery caramel sauce. Double Fried Chicken Breast Taco – a hand breaded home-style chicken breast wrapped and refried in a flour toritilla, served with either cream gravy or jalapeno ranch dressing. Last but not least, Fernie’s Deep Fried Whole Lotta Chocolatta is a Whole lotta SUGA as takes two slices of Italian bread stuffed with dark chocolate, dipped in egg wash, coated with crunchy bread crumbs and served with a side of Russet potato chips, sprinkled with sea salt and drizzled with a hard white and milk chocolate shell. Now everyone take 5 laps around the coffee table because sitting here reading those descriptions was nearly sinful. I think you may have gained a pound.

New Vendors List:

CRISPIES
(located on the Midway at the intersection of MLK and Midway)

CASSIE’S FROZEN YOGURT
(located at the intersection of Pike and Fun Way on Fun Way St.)

COWBOY’S STYLE PHILLYS
(located in the Food Court inside the Tower Building)

BRAIN FREEZE
(located on Fun Way in front of the Lost Children’s Shelter)

ISLAND SPOT
(located on First Ave. on the lawn of the Magnolia Lounge across from the Old Mill Inn.)

THE ORIGINAL BERRIE KABOB
(located in the Food Court inside the Tower Building)

CHIP’S OLD FASHIONED HAMBURGERS
(located on Pike Street inside the Kids Way Area

WILLIAMS CHICKEN TENDERS
(located in Cotton Bowl Plaza)

Click here to find out what each of these vendors serve.

Have your workout plan set for early November because you may be tempted to keep tasting and tasting when the Fried Food Capital sucks you into Jenny Craig and Kirsty Allen’s worst nightmare.

I don’t know how Big Tex keeps his figure with all those Fried Oreos and Cheesecakes surrounding him.

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