Events
BY JONATHAN PERRIELLO
Check out new food from 2023’s State Fair of Texas Big Tex Choice Awards Fairgoers have dozens of new dishes to try at this year’s Texas State Fair through the Big Tex Choice Awards. The annual competition pits vendors’ creations against each other before a panel of judges with the chance to win awards for most creative dish and best taste in both savory and sweet catego- ries. The winners were announced in August, and all dishes will be available at the fair, which runs from Sept. 29-Oct. 22. Finalist creations ranged from a loaded fries pizza—which is a hand-tossed pizza sauced with buttermilk ranch dressing, covered with cheese and salted fries—to a sweet encanto, a round waf- e sweetened with caramel dulce de leche and a strawberries, kiwi and shredded coconut cream. “We started the competition to challenge the vendors to really think outside the box,” said Melanie Linnear, State Fair of Texas senior vice president of concessions. 1 Best taste (savory) winner: Deep-fried pho is handcrafted, rolled up and deep-fried. It combines noodles, slices of beef, fresh herbs, bean sprouts and a pho broth that has been slowly simmered for hours. It is served with a side of pho broth for dipping, lime, jalapenos, cilantro, hoisin sauce and sriracha. 2 Best taste (sweet) winner: Bisco delight is a New York-style cheesecake coated with Belgian chocolate and adorned with crushed Bisco cookies. A drizzle of Lotus Bisco spread imparts a caramelized touch. Topping it o is a carefully placed Bisco cookie. 3 Most creative winner: Bourbon banana caramel sopapillas are traditional sopapillas topped with va- nilla-caramel-infused bananas, sweet bourbon syrup, crushed candied pecans, sweetened mascarpone cheese and crumbled Nilla Wafers.
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Deep-fried pho won best taste for savory dishes at the 2023 Big Tex Choice Awards.
PHOTOS COURTESY STATE FAIR OF TEXAS
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Bisco delight won best taste for sweet dishes at the 2023 Big Tex Choice Awards.
Bourbon banana caramel sopapillas won most creative at the 2023 Big Tex Choice Awards.
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