State Fair of Texas Fried Foods Awards, the 2011 list

FRIED BUBBLEGUM! Well, bubblegum marshmallows. But still.

It's Christmas Day for fried food fans, the day The State Fair of Texas announces its annual "Big Tex" Choice Awards for the best fried foods.

State Fair of Texas 2011 will have Fried Salsa

This is the Seventh Annual Big Tex Choice Awards hosted by the 2011 State Fair of Texas wherein food vendors vie for two key prizes: "Best Taste" and "Most Creative."

Last year's winners were Fried Beer for most creative and Texas Fried FRITOS Pie for Best Taste.

The first round of contestants submitted recipes in August. Judges narrowed the field down to eight. On Labor Day, those eight contestants will present their creations to a panel of four judges, who will pick the final two winners.

Finalists named for Big Tex® Choice Awards:

Buffalo Chicken in a Flapjack
Deep Fried Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Deep Fried Texas Salsa™
El Bananarito
Fried Autumn Pie
Fried Bubblegum
Hans' Kraut Ball
Walking Taco

And now, the mouth-watering descriptions:

Buffalo Chicken in a Flapjack - A buffalo chicken strip is coated in flapjack batter, rolled in jalapeno bread crumbs, deep fried to a golden brown, skewed, and served with a side of syrup. Crowd pleasing appetizer or a meal in itself!

State Fair 2011 fried foods

Deep Fried Pineapple Upside Down Cake - Fresh and sweet pineapple rings are delicately dipped in cake batter, fried, and coated with a caramel, sugar, and cinnamon glaze. What tropical treat is complete without a cherry on top?

Deep Fried Texas Salsa™ - This spicy medley of jalapenos, roasted garlic, onion, tomato, and pepper is rolled together, dipped in masa, and covered in crunchy tortilla chips. Into the fryer and served with warm, deliciously creamy queso.

El Bananarito - In case you are wondering, it’s a deep fried banana rolled in a flour tortilla, topped with whipped cream, powdered sugar, a dusting of cinnamon, and a touch of vanilla extract. Top it off with your choice of smooth, hot caramel or decadent chocolate syrup. Concessionaire contact: Lydia Turner at the Funnel Cake stand on Fun Way near the intersection of Pike and Fun Way and in the Tower Building.

Fried Autumn Pie - Fairgoers will fall for this hard-to-resist puff pastry infused with a scrumptious combination of pumpkin, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and fall spices. Deep fried and rolled in ginger, cinnamon, and sugar.

Fried Bubblegum - You’ll swear it’s bubblegum! A light as a feather bubble gum flavored marshmallow is dipped in batter and lightly fried to perfection. Decorated with a swirl of icing. A final sprinkling of powdered sugar completes this treat! It will blow you away!

Hans’ Kraut Ball - A conglomeration of taste: browned pork sausage, onion, garlic, a zing of sauerkraut, mustard, and tasty seasonings all rolled into a mouth-watering ball of delight. Covered with seasoned bread crumbs, deep fried, and served with your choice Spicy Mustard, Rasberry Chipotle, or Ranch.

Walking Taco - Stroll down the Midway with this concoction of seasoned hamburger meat, lettuce, onion, fresh tomato, grated cheese, sour cream, and tasty salsa. Inventively served up in a Nacho Cheese flavored Doritos bag!

TLS, anonymous:

Dave Faries suggested fried gum two years ago: http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/cityo...

The kraut ball sounds good. I just wished they left the name as kraut ball and not Hans' kraut ball because that suggests a different ball.