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Fried Foods at State Fair of Texas


texas state fair
Photo: Jessica S. Ralat.
Deep frying improves all. But at the State Fair of Texas in Dallas, fried really hurts. On Opening Day, Slashfood set out to eat all eight of the Big Tex Choice Awards finalists, including the nationally heralded, light and not greasy Deep Fried Butter by Abel Gonzales Jr. (voted Most Creative) and Fernie's Deep Fried Peaches & Cream by Christi Erpillo (voted Best Tasting).

Both fried-food creators have State Fair pedigrees. For several years, each has placed as a finalist or won top prizes. These include Fernie's All-American Fried Grilled Cheese Sandwich in 2008 and Gonzalez's Fried Coke in 2006.

"I go on these kicks where I have to eat the same food, prepared in the same way for weeks," Gonzalez said. "Toast was one of them. I thought, 'What's so great about toast? Not the bread; it's the butter.' "

See the butter after the jump!

From there, it was a matter of experimentation, until he discovered that biscuit dough was the perfect vessel for a pat of butter. The dish can be ordered with cherry or grape sauce, garlic butter or original.

"The point is to create something not so outrageous that the average cook couldn't make it," Erpillo said. "We use tempura batter and panko breadcrumbs, items easily purchased at a local supermarket; for the peaches, drizzling it with raspberry sauce and a garnish of vanilla-butter cream sauce."

Scattered across 277-square acres, the other finalists' offerings weren't as pleasurable. There were Green Goblins and Sweet Jalapeno Corn Dog Shrimp, which were both surprisingly mild -- especially the former, which included cherry peppers. The Twisted Yam on a Stick was regrettable; the Texas Fried Pecan Pie and Fried Peanut Butter Cup Macaroons unremarkable; and Country Fried Pork Chips, supposed to be made with pork, were nothing more than fried-batter gut bombs.

But the winners -- oh, the winners! This blogger would gladly risk life and limb for more fried butter and peaches and cream.

Have you tried deep-fried butter?



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Texas State Fair 2009
Fried butter at the State Fair of Texas held in Dallas during the month of September, 2009.
Jose Ralat Maldonado
Getty Images North America

Texas State Fair 2009

    Fried butter at the State Fair of Texas held in Dallas during the month of September, 2009.

    Jose Ralat Maldonado

    Fried cookie dough!

    Jose Ralat Maldonado

    Green Goblins, a Big Tex Choice Awards finalist.

    Jose Ralat Maldonado

    Chicken Fried Bacon (left) and Deep Fried Pork Chips (right).

    Jose Ralat Maldonado

    Fernie's Deep Fried Peaches & Cream, winner of Best Tasting dish at the State Fair.

    Jenice Johnson

    Abel Gonzalez Jr. serves up his award-winning Deep Fried Butter.

    Jenice Johnson

    Christi Erpillo (right), creator of Fernie's Deep Fried Peaches & Cream, with sister Johnna McKee.

    Jenice Johnson

    Fern Wanda Winter, Christi Erpillo's mother, was the first cook to serve Funnel Cake at the State Fair of Texas.

    Jenice Johnson

    Entrance to the Midway.

    Jose Ralat Maldonado

    State Fair of Texas mascot, Big Tex.

    Jose Ralat Maldonado

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