Fried Food Finalists

So, here's a list of the Fried Food Finalists for the 2012 Big Tex Choice Awards:

Chicken Fried Cactus Bites – Fairgoers will stick with these hand-picked prickly pear cactus pads, thinly sliced, chicken battered and deep fried to perfection. Served with a combination of sweet & spicy secret jalapeno ranch, and agave nectar dipping sauce.

Deep-Fried Divine Chocolate Tres Leches Cake – A slice of chocolate tres leches cake soaked in buttermilk batter, and fried to perfection. A light sprinkle of cinnamon, topped with whipped cream, fresh strawberry slices and peaches are drizzled with a yummy syrup.

Deep Fried Jambalaya – A State Fair spin is given to this Cajun classic. This “from scratch” jambalaya is created using shrimp, cajun sausage and seasonings, then coated in lightly seasoned flour and fried to a golden perfection. This deep-fried Southern delectable will be served with a side of “made in house” spicy ranch sauce. *WINNER: BEST TASTE*

Deep Fried Mac-N-Cheese Slider – This three-cheese mac is baked until golden brown, battered in bread crumbs, deep-fried until crisp on the outside, warm and gooey on the inside. Placed on a slider bun with a griddled beef patty, this southern-style invention almost calls for a rocking chair and a front porch.

Fried Bacon Cinnamon Roll – Deliciously fresh cinnamon roll dipped in a special sweet pancake batter, rolled in crispy fried bacon crumbles, deep fried and sprinkled with powdered sugar. It’s a main course and a dessert all in one. *WINNER: MOST CREATIVE*

Fried Mexican Fire Crackers – A yummy, spicy chicken, cheese and jalapeno mix wrapped in fresh-made masa dough and deep fried to a crispy, crunchy, explosion of flavor. OLE, JOSE!Served with fiery TNT sauce.

Fried Pork Wing - This juicy morsel is slow cooked for six hours then lightly deep fried, rolled and tossed in a smoked bacon chipotle glaze. Accompanied by old-school homemade potato chips lightly dusted in barbecue seasoning, it’s a sure crowd pleaser.

Picnic on a Stick – Pieces of delicious spicy fried chicken alternate tater tots and slices of dill pickle. Repeated three times on a stick then dipped in batter, rolled in bread crumbs, and fried until golden brown, this picnic wouldn’t be complete without its choice of BBQ sauce, ranch, or honey mustard. BYO ants.

Here's my quick take.

Cactus: I love cactus, so I would actually be excited to try this one.

Tres Leches: For as much as love cake and cupcakes, tres leches is not one I'm a fan of. Eww.

Jambalaya: This could go either way, and it all depends on the houmemade jambalaya.

Mac-N-Cheese: No need for the beef. The rule my husband and I have for this challenge is that the items have to be eaten as is, otherwise, I would ditch the beef.

Cinnamon Roll: Bacon? Good. Cinnamon Roll? Good. Fried Bacon Cinnamon Roll? Good!

Firecrackers: Depends on the masa. This, just like the jambalaya, could go either way.

Pork Wing: Yes. This sounds normal, and good. Although I am never a fan of meat with a bone still in it.

Picnic: I don't know when tator tots made their official picnic debut, but overall I bet this would be tasty.

Which one am I most excited to try? The Fried Bacon Cinnamon Roll. Least? Tres Leches. That's just not my thing.

Assuming Ryan and I find time to get out to the State Fair of Texas this year, I'll let you know how the Fair Food Challenge 2012 goes.

2011 State Fair Food Challenge

OMG! When Ryan and I go to the Texas State Fair it's pretty much about the food. We always go to try the Fair Food Challenge, which involves eating the top foods that year. This year, we made it all the way through 8 items. The rules are that we can only order one of each thing to split and that we don't deviate from the items except for with beer. Otherwise, we would never be able to finish. So, it's ranking time.

1. Bananarito - Banana coated in cinnamon sugar, wrapped in a flour tortilla, fried with chocolate sauce, whipped cream and a cherry
2. Walking Taco - Taco meat, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese on top of crunched up nacho cheese Doritos.
3. Hans Kraut Balls - Saurkraut and sausage balled up together and fried, dipped in cranberry jelly
4. Fried Pineapple Upsidedown Cake - Pineapple ring dipped in cake batter then fried and topped with whpped cream and cherries
5. Fried Autumn Pumpkin Pie - Pumpkin cream cheese filling surrounded with dough and fried.
6. Buffalo Chicken in a Flapjack - A buffalo chicken strip coated in flapjack batter and fried, dipped in syrup.
7. Deep Fried Salsa - Salsa balls coated in tortilla chips and fried, dipped in nacho cheese sauce.
1,378,129. Fried Bubblegum - Bubblegum flavored marshmallows fried.

All of the above items were pretty good, except for the Fried bubblegum. It was one of the worst things I have ever tasted. It may have won most creative, but there is no way it would have ever won best taste. I can't wait for next year's Fair Food Challenge!