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Drum roll please... After a hard-fought battle consisting of various deep fried meats and absolutely weird beverages, an all-star tasting panel—including Mavericks point guard Devin Harris, former Dallas Cowboy Drew Pearson, and chef/restaurateur John Tesar— has finally decided the winners of the 2015 State Fair of Texas Big Tex Choice Awards. The winners are:
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Best Tasting
Fernie's Holy Moly Carrot Cake Roly (Christi Erpillo)
"Serving as concessionaires at the Fair for 47 years now, Christi's family is known for first introducing the funnel cake to the State Fair of Texas in the early 1980s. Taking a unique spin on a traditional dessert, Fernie's Holy Moly Carrot Cake Roly turns carrot cake into a heaven-filled roll. Golden-baked bread swirled with cinnamon has been flattened and filled with moist carrot cake, plump raisins and crunchy julienned carrots. Rolled with a light coating of cream cheese and then breaded in a mixture of panko, graham crackers, cinnamon and nutmeg... this is far from your typical dessert."
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Most Creative
Smoky Bacon Margarita (Isaac Rousso)
"An unconventional pairing of flavors adds a subtle smoky taste to a traditionally tangy drink. Undisputedly a frontrunner in the creative category, this drink takes the smokiness of freshly-cooked bacon and infuses it into a frozen lime margarita. With just a hint of smoke, this creation still captures the zesty citrus flavor of a traditional margarita. Finished off with a pinch of bacon crumbles on top... served in a collectible souvenir cup for an added funky flair."
Along with bragging rights, both champions have received a set of Michelin Defender LTX tires, perfect for doing doughnuts (the non-deep-fried kinds) on the other competitors' lawns.
But wait, there's more: Fairgoers can also vote for their favorite Big Tex finalist at the fair this year, and there will also be a food map this year (available at State Fair Info Booths and at BigTex.com). Cast your Big Tex vote right here, starting September 25.
