Fried Food Fest - the Texas State Fair

Fried Food Offerings (google images)

This Friday is opening day for the Texas State Fair, which happens to be the biggest (and the best, IMHO) state fair in the U.S.  It's also the Fried Food Capital that week.  Steve and I always manage to spend at least one day at the Fair and we read all about the fried food being offered that year but we never buy any of it.  We have two staples at the Fair - smoked jerk chicken from a Jamaican guy that has a tent and we always split one order of the tater twister which is essentially a freshly made potato chip that comes in one long spiral.

An oldie but goodie

Here's a description of some of this year's offerings as described on the Dallas D Magazine blog.  I'm telling ya, we don't hold back in Texas.

Deep Fried Cuban Roll (Big Tex “Best Taste” winner)– Really good pork shoulder and ham and Swiss cheese fried together. You want this.

Fried Thanksgiving Dinner (Big Tex “Most Creative” winner) - A ball of house-made stuffing and diced turkey, then dipped into southern creamed corn and rolled with corn meal. Fried and served with brown gravy. 

Fried Thanksgiving Dinner

Deep Fried Elote - Corn, queso fresco, and salsa is mixed into this one-bite wonder. Spicy cream sauce is drizzled over the top. 

Deep  Fried BBQ Wontons - Who likes Panda Express’ fried wontons? These come with hickory smoked pulled pork or chopped brisket instead. 

Fernie’s Deep Fried King Ranch Casserole (Big Tex finalist) - Looks like the fried version of Texas. 

Spinach Dip Bites (Big Tex finalist) – Deep-fried creamy spinach artichoke dip. Interesting.

Deep fried Spinach Dip

Southern Style Chicken-Fried Meatloaf (Big Tex finalist) – MEATLOAF AND MASHED POTATOES, MEATLOAF AND MASHED POTATOES. I have nothing else to say.

Texas Fried Fireball (Big Tex finalist) – Basically a pimento cheese+bacon ball. Not too shabby.

Golden Fried Millionaire Pie (Big Tex finalist) – Feel like a million bucks with this cream cheese-pineapple-and Texas pecan creation.You’ll turn into Bill Gates right after.

Awesome Deep Fried Nutella® (Big Tex finalist) – Ummm, yeah. I would probably punch 30 people for one of these right now, if that’s what it’d take.

Deep Fried Nutella

Deep Fried Chocolate Chip Burrito - Imagine a flour tortilla wrapped around chocolate chip cookie dough, then fried. Yep, that’s what this is. This comes with chocolate or strawberry drizzle and whipped cream. .

Spicy Spam Empanadas - If you love Monty Python’s spam video, you’ll love this empanada filled with shredded spam, potatoes, bacon, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, onions, red and green peppers, jalapeno and chipotle peppers, and spices.