It's fair and festival time across this great land of ours, and here at home the Coweta County Fair is already underway. Soon, I'll be looking into a day trip to one of the various apple and pumpkin festivals found in the mountain region of the state. But it was the State Fair of Texas that caught my attention last week, and the reason was one of its new food offerings I read about: Deep Fried Sweet Tea! Now the fair runs Sept. 26 through Oct. 19 in Dallas, so would one of you Texas readers please go check this out and report back? Here's what the Texas State Fair website says about this new treat: "The South’s #1 beverage has been deep fried! Home brewed sweet tea is blended into a custard filling. The custard is given a graham cracker crust, deep fried, & topped off with homemade sweet tea syrup. The crispy, golden graham cracker crust gives way to a warm & gooey center that’s packed with sweet tea flavor." Ohhhhh, would I love to try this! (These photos appear courtesy of the State Fair of Texas, which generously gave me permission to share them here!)
Other treats at the Texas fair this year will include this Texas Fried Chicken in a Waffle Cone. "This tasty treat," they say, "starts with a large crispy waffle cone layered with Texas Fried Chicken and Sausage Gravy until it's piled high and when you get to the bottom of the cone you have a sweet surprise. You get a meal and dessert all in one. Enjoy!" The first time I heard about chicken and waffles was in the pages of an old tea room cookbook, so I certainly raise my glass of sweet tea to this fun idea.
Now pork rinds, I realize, are not going to be a hit with everyone, but I like 'em. The good people of Texas are, as always, outdoing the rest of us by what they've done with pork rinds for this year's fair, Deep Fried Pork Rind Nachos. Their fresh pork rinds "right out of the fryer" are topped with cheese, chili, pico de gallo and jalapenos. If you don't like the sound of this, fine. I'll eat yours!
And last but not least, the item I would most like to try after the Deep Fried Sweet Tea is one of these Deep Fried Milk and Cookies on a Stick. Read this description and try not to drool: "Whole milk, half & half and heavy cream are blended with sugar, cookies and slow cooked to make a creamy custard that is chilled for 6+ hours. The finished milky/creamy product is then sliced in thin sections, dipped in an egg wash and rolled in Japanese Bread Crumbs. It is then deep fried and served hot with a sprinkling of powdered sugar and choice of chocolate or strawberry sauce." Oh. My. Goodness. Now I know that mentioning all these *fried* treats will cause some folks to get the vapors, but I would submit to you that we certainly don't eat this way every day and it's OK to splurge a little every now and then! Alas, the fanciest thing I've ever eaten at a local fair or festival is a Deep Fried Oreo (which was OK, but a little mushy). Unless I can come up with a really good reason to visit Texas in the next month, I guess I'll just be content to dream of Deep Fried Sweet Tea. Have you ever eaten any unusual fried foods at a fair or festival? If so, please share! And if you'd like to read about the rest of the new food treats at the State Fair of Texas, visit
here.
That sounds interesting...but you may have my pork rinds with jalepenos. I'd like to try the deep fried sweet tea, though. Alas, I won't be anywhere near Texas. But it is fun to read about!
ReplyDeleteHaha! Only in American would fried sweet tea happen!! Gotta love 'Merica! :)
ReplyDeleteMy goodness, Angela, my cholesterol count has just jumped up from reading this post. That sweet tea fried does sound appealing and I would have to try it. The pork rinds have never been a favorite, but smothered in all that goodness I would be trying it too. Good thing I am sitting so far away. Wondering if I know anyone in Texas that can visit the fair and report back. Hummmmmm!
ReplyDeleteUhhh...I just don't know. I have seen deep fried Milky Ways on the menus at some fairs...I don't do pork rinds, but my honey loves them....they had them in England where he grew up, so...
ReplyDeleteRuth
Well, I am not a pork lover, so you can have my pork rinds. The deep fried sweet tea sounds interesting though. But in all honesty, with my cholesterol the way it is, I best be leavin' all that greasiness alone. The glass of sweet tea I would welcome however. Interesting post and all those deep fried treats, who knew??
ReplyDeleteI live 2 hours away from Dallas, but we hadn't planned on going to the fair. If I hear of anyone going, I'll get them to bring me some deep fried ice tea, although it probably wouldn't be as good as right out of the fryer!
ReplyDeleteWhat will they think of next! One of my friends has tried deep fried butter at their county fair but I try to stay away from fried foods except for a rare treat like a Beaver Tail last week - fried dough with cinnamon sugar that looks like - a beaver's tail!
ReplyDeleteThey all sound interesting. If they are a hit they will probably show up at other state fairs next year.
ReplyDeleteLast summer I hosted a "Fry Everything" party for our college students. They deep fried Oreos, Twinkies, PBJ sandwiches, zucchini, okra and one student even brought a batch of coca cola batter to fry. It sounded a lot like this sweet tea recipe. I wasn't a fan, but the students really enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteExcellent timing - my mother and I have plans to go to the State Fair next week! I'll be sure to look for the Deep Fried Sweet Tea and let you know how it is :-) .
ReplyDeleteGoodness...what won't they think of to deep fry next??
Oh my... I gained five pounds simply by reading about all these Texas State Fair treats. Wowza! And who would have thought to make fried sweet tea! Proof you can deep fry anything!
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