Courtesy State Fair of Texas
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The State Fair of Texas opens today, and there are even more new, gut-busting items in this year’s food lineup. Drinks – both alcoholic and not – are popular this year, each concessionaire trying to outdo the next with their unique, possibly questionable concoctions. Pickle sangria, anyone? Courtesy State Fair of Texas
Kool-Aid Pickle-Dilly Sangria is one of the most outrageous of these newly announced drinks. It’s a pickle juice cocktail infused with Fruit Punch Kool-Aid, white wine and lemon-lime soda. This salty-sweet concoction is garnished with a Kool-Aid pickle spear, pineapples, cherries and blueberries. Half dessert, have booze. Courtesy State Fair of Texas
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Half dessert, half beverage, the Cherish Erbert Champagne is Pixy Stix cherry sherbet champagne, which is sipped through a Pixy Stix straw with powdered candy around the rim. This sweet and sour cherry drink is topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. A riff on Orange Julius, beer and a mimosa all at once? We’re in. Courtesy State Fair of Texas
Another complex alcoholic drink, Orange Julia’s Beermosa is a blended mixture of champagne flavored with orange Pixy Stix, Blue Moon beer and vanilla ice cream. Served in a Pixy Stix-rimmed cup, it’s an adult take on Push-Up pops and Creamsicle bars. Hello, Corn Dog Ale. Courtesy State Fair of Texas
Beginning in 2014 with Community Beer Co.’s award-winning Funnel Cake Ale, North Texas breweries have been creating special State Fair-inspired beers. This year, Granbury’s Revolver Brewing is debuting a Corn Dog Ale. It is an amber ale brewed with a blend of pale 2-Row barleys, caramel malt, smoked malt and a proprietary blend of eight herbs and spices. The subtle smokiness and spice of the ale are enhanced by its mustard-rimmed glass. It’s too hot for hot chocolate, but not too hot for frozen hot chocolate. Courtesy State Fair of Texas
A non-alcoholic treat, Frosty’s Frozen Hot Chocolate is Ghirardelli cocoa blended with milk, water and ice. This decadent drink is topped with whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles and finished with a marshmallow and cherry garnish. Where fried chicken meets nachos. Courtesy State Fair of Texas
There are plenty of non-beverage options being introduced this year as well. Southern Fried Chicken Nachos are classic nachos – a blend of cheese, tomatoes and pico de gallo over tortilla chips – topped with fried chicken tenders. Deep-fried pico de gallo is as Texas as it gets. Courtesy State Fair of Texas
Pico Frito (deep-fried pico de gallo) is an assortment of tomatoes, cilantro, onions and jalapeños stuffed into egg roll paper and deep-fried. These pico de gallo egg rolls are served with a savory cilantro sauce. It doesn’t look very Thai, but we’ll let our taste buds decide. Courtesy State Fair of Texas
With coconut milk-infused sticky rice and mango inside, the Texas Thai Delight is rolled in batter and deep-fried. This vegetarian treat is served on a stick with a side of sweet sauce. Fried Cup of Corn is a deep-fried riff on elotes. Courtesy State Fair of Texas
The Fried Cup of Corn “Elotes” is corn, Mexican cheese and seasoning, deep-fried in a flaky pastry. Served with cheese and a creamy corn dip, it’s a State Fair twist on this authentic Mexican dish. Coconut-battered, deep-fried soft-shell crab is the filling in these sliders. Courtesy State Fair of Texas
King Crispy Coconut Crab Sliders are a new over-the-top seafood offering. Coconut-battered, deep-fried soft-shell crab is stuffed into mini slider buns and topped with wasabi slaw. Courtesy State Fair of Texas
A new vegetarian option from the renowned Fletcher’s Corny Dogs is Fletcher’s Cheezy Pup. These mini “corn dogs” are American cheese on a stick, dipped in Fletcher’s famous batter and deep-fried to a golden brown.
The State Fair of Texas runs Sept. 28 to Oct. 21.
