State Fair Food News

Fried Jell-O takes it at State Fair of Texas Big Tex Choice Awards 2016

Fried Jell-O was a winner at the State Fair of Texas.

Photo by Jason Hays

Weirdest won the prize at the 2016 Big Tex Choice Awards, the annual food contest held by the State Fair of Texas. Fried Jell-O won the award for Best Taste. And the award for Most Creative went to the State Fair Cookie Fries.

The awards were presented at an open-to-the-public event on August 28 in the Tower Building at Fair Park.

Fried Jell-O was submitted by Ruth Hauntz, who's been a concessionaire at the State Fair for 28 years. It's a classic cherry-flavored Jell-O in a panko-crusted breading that is fried, dusted with powdered sugar, and served with whipped cream and a cherry.

State Fair Cookie Fries have the appearance of classic crinkle-cut French fries, but they are actually cookies, in chocolate chip or sprinkles flavors, served with strawberry or milk chocolate sauce. They're made by Isaac Rousso, who's been a finalist in the Big Tex Choice Awards for the past seven years; he won last year's Most Creative award, for his Smoky Bacon Margarita.

They won over a field of semifinalists that included Caribbean Pineapple Korn-a-Copia, Bacon Burger Dog Slider on a Stick, Pulled Pork Funyun Dings, Chicken Pot Pie Pocket with Mac 'n' Cheese Dip, Injectable Great Balls of BBQ, and Southern Fried Chicken & Dumplins.

Judges this year included bull rider Don Gay, blogger Mai Lyn Ngo, radio personality Dan O’Malley, chef Kent Rathbun, and Dallas City Council member Tiffinni Young.

The sixth judge was Jon Gonzalez, an audience member whose name was picked from a random drawing at the event.

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Corny Dog Surprise

Fletcher's Corny Dogs unveils retro concession stand at 2016 State Fair of Texas

Photo courtesy of Fletcher's

Look for the return of the veggie dog at the 2016 State Fair of Texas.

One of the best known vendors at the State Fair of Texas has a surprise for the 2016 fair that evokes a spell of old-time carny nostalgia.

The vendor is Fletcher's Original Corny Dogs, maker of the fair's trademark hot dog engaged in a cornmeal crust. The surprise: a new concession stand that you could almost call tasteful, at least by the raucous standards of State Fair design.

It'll be Fletcher's seventh location, but it's one into which the Fletcher family poured their heart and soul, says proprietor Gigi Fletcher.

"We've been asking for years for a new location, and we finally got a shot," she says. "Last year, they started a new area by the extreme rides, where there were three concession trailers, including a funnel cake place and a barbecue place. The president of concessions said, 'Well, if you want to build a concession trailer ...' my husband said, 'Yes, we'll do it.'"

The family spent four months getting it built, she says.

"I think we're excited because we took some creative liberties," she says. "It doesn't look like your ordinary concession trailer. There are none of the usual pictures of the menu. Instead, we had some fun and made it about Fletcher's, with a vintage look, with red and yellow flags, and a counter outside to serve from, and 'Fletcher's' in LED lighting that'll look cool at night."

The new booth follows up on their revolutionary release from 2015, when they introduced a vegetarian version of their famous corny dog, an invention that set the state fair world on fire.

The new booth will have the complete corny dog lineup, including the original, the turkey hot dog, the corny dog with jalapeño and cheese, and last but not least, the veggie dog.

"We will have our veggie dog. It's a vegetarian hot dog, not vegan, because it's dipped in our famous batter," she says. "It'll be available at all of our Fletcher's locations this year.

"The veggie dog turned out to be such a nice surprise," she says. "Even when I'd be out walking the grounds, people would come up and ask about it."

Look for the return of the veggie dog at the 2016 State Fair of Texas.

Photo courtesy of Fletcher's

Look for the return of the veggie dog at the 2016 State Fair of Texas.

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