The State Fair of Texas' Fried Food Mania Begins

Might be time for that preemptive triple bypass you've been considering: The State Fair of Texas has just announced the nominees for its annual Big Tex Choice Awards. This year's candidates for "Most Creative" and "Best Taste" include chicken-fried cactus, fried pork shanks, fried mac 'n cheese sliders, fried bacon cinnamon rolls and the "Fried Picnic" which consists of spicy chicken, tater tots and dill pickles skewered and grilled. (Not really. It's battered and deep-fried.) Fair lovers may recall last year's fried bubblegum sensation, which took the creativity award. (No one said anything about taste.)

Other Frankenstein-esque new creations of note this at this year's fair, which runs September 28 through October 21, include the Fried Samoa, featuring the Girl Scout cookie wrapped in a wonton skin, deep-fried and drizzled with chocolate and caramel sauces.

· 8 Things to Be Deep-Fried at the 2012 State Fair of Texas: Mac-n-Cheese Sliders, 'Picnic on a Stick' [Eater National]
· State Fair of Texas is serving fried cactus this year [Pegasus News]

[Photo credit: DFW Happenings]