Fried Bubblegum

 

The State Fair of Texas hasn't always been famous for its creative (and often disgusting) fried food. Growing up in the Dallas area, I remember when corn dogs were the food of choice. Then, in 2004, fried twinkies were introduced, and the president of the State Fair knew they had caught on to something big. In 2005 the State Fair of Texas launched the Big Tex choice awards for most creative and best taste. Now Texans anxiously await the news of which new fried foods are going to be available at the fair, which has brought waves of publicity in the last few years.

"The 2011 judging drew 40 media entities, and coverage has extended around the world. Fried Bubblegum hit CNN, Huffington Post, and media sites in the U.K. Multiple-winner vendor Abel Gonzales has been on Rachael Ray, The Today Show, and The View. The Big Tex awards have made it into Jay Leno's monologue and been the subject of David Letterman's "Top 10" List."

I went to the fair this past weekend, and we tried an array of fried foods. Some, like fried pizza, fried cookie dough and fried oreos, were delicious in moderation. Others, like fried bubblegum and fried margaritas, were just a little too disgusting for my taste buds.

For more information on the history of fried foods at the fair, check out this article.