Fried Foods at State Fair of Texas

by Jose Ralat Maldonado, Posted Sep 28th 2009 @ 4:00PM

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?
Yes, it's delicious.	29 (20.1%)
Once, not for me.	6 (4.2%)
No way!	109 (75.7%)

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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

Filed Under: Food Politics
Tags: abel gonzales jr., AbelGonzalesJr., Christi Erpillo, ChristiErpillo, deep fried butter, DeepFriedButter, fall, fried peaches and cream, FriedPeachesAndCream, frying, southern states, state fair of texas, StateFairOfTexas, Texas

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

9-28-2009 @4:38PM Trae said... Fried Butter!! I'm still trying to get past that. Fried butter!?! Though I have to say, the way it's described, I would give it a shot, just once, depending on how my next cholesterol check goes.
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9-28-2009 @4:58PM wiggydigs said... Sounds like they've fried their brains. Aw, dammit I just gave them an idea.

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9-28-2009 @6:32PM Andrew said... I bet they'd sell really well at zombie fairs...
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9-29-2009 @7:31AM captain underpants and the bringdown gang said... Don't show this to any jewish zombie:

http://thisiswhyyourefat.com/post/81700285/pork-brains-in-milk-gravy
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9-29-2009 @11:53AM Kat Kinsman said... Oh Capt. Pants? We've already sampled the brains & eggs. For science. http://www.slashfood.com/2008/12/29/brains-and-eggs/
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9-29-2009 @11:56AM JRalat said... I have a confession to make. I had Deep Fried Butter a third time. All for research and blogging, of course. How many miles will I have to ride my bike to burn off the calories?
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