Flirting With fair foods Posted on October 3, 2017September 10, 2018 by Collegian Admin The State Fair gives the Big Tex Choice Awards to the best new foods every year, but not all deserve the honor Pinot Noir Popcorn 20 coupons ($10) Wine lovers will be a big fan of this award-winning choice. Santa Monica kettle corn is flavored with pinot noir burgundy wine dust and savory cheddar cheese – a perfect balance for a delicious adult snack. What goes best with wine? Cheese. So it’s not really difficult to screw this one up. It was a pleasant surprise, though, that the wine taste did not overpower the cheddar cheese flavoring. It wasn’t a snack one would have at a vineyard, but it should suffice for wine lovers at the State Fair. By Raegan Scharfetter/managing editor Deep Fried Froot Loops 16 coupons ($8) It didn’t win the Big Tex Choice Award Best Taste: Sweet probably because soggy Froot Loops make for an unappetizing texture. Sweetened Froot Loops are folded into marshmallow creme and then dipped in batter and fried. If that wasn’t enough sugar, once out of the fryer the dessert is topped with more marshmallow creme, powdered sugar and more sweetened Froot Loops. It was almost like eating a fruity bucket of sugar. If that’s your thing, then you’ll probably love them. But if you’re concerned about cavities, avoiding these might be in your best interest. By Kathryn Kelman/editor-in-chief Deep Fried Chicken Noodle Soup on a Stick 18 coupons ($9) The concept of soup on a stick is confusing, but the taste explains it all. Five bite-size balls of chicken noodle soup are all you need to enjoy your time at the State Fair. However, chicken noodle soup is meant to be a soup, so the chicken and noodles in a deep-fried ball gave it an odd texture that wasn’t my favorite. All in all, even though this was the Best Big Tex Choice finalist, if given the choice between this or classic chicken noodle soup, take the soup every time. By Raegan Scharfetter/managing editor Texas Fajita Fries 26 coupons ($13) Fajitas are a staple of Tex Mex, and the Texas Fajita Fries didn’t disappoint. The fries consisted of breaded, deep-fried beef fajita strips seasoned with sriracha spices and served in a bread cone on a bed of fried onions and jalapeños with a side of lettuce and pico de gallo topped with a sour cream guacamole hot sauce. While this is one of the pricier options at the fair, it’s worth getting at least for the veggies that accompany all the fried food. By Kathryn Kelman/editor-in-chief The Tamale Donut 16 coupons ($8) The Tamale Donut is a traditional slow-cooked tamale in the shape of a doughnut. The appearance isn’t the best. It doesn’t look natural, and the sauce is dumped on messily, but it did taste homemade. Tamales are always delicious, but the creamy jalapeno salsa took this choice to the next level. The donut came in last as a Big Tex Choice Award finalist. And while the salsa made the meal, it didn’t make up for the lack of creativity and the excessive need of napkins it takes to eat it. By Raegan Scharfetter/managing editor Funnel Cake Bacon Queso Burger 26 coupons ($13) This won the Big Tex Choice Awards for Best Taste: Savory and Most Creative at the State Fair this year, but it didn’t live up to the award. Getting over its the smell was the hardest part of tasting it, and the most disappointing part was that the queso was nothing more than the liquid nacho cheese you get with concession stand nachos. While a bacon burger, a funnel cake and queso are all great individually, putting all three together was too much. By Kathryn Kelman/editor-in-chief