Newest Fair Food: Deep-Fried Coca-Cola

[Bearcat729]

Ugh this just sounds bad

http://www.wftv.com/foodnews/9789814/detail.html

Newest Fair Food: Deep-Fried Coca-Cola

POSTED: 12:35 pm EDT September 5, 2006
DALLAS -- There are fried Twinkies and even fried candy bars.

Now, vendor Abel Gonzales Jr. has come up with a new artery-clogging concoction for the State Fair of Texas. It's fried Coke.

Gonzales deep-fries Coca-Cola-flavored batter. He then drizzles Coke fountain syrup on it. The fried Coke is topped with whipped cream, cinnamon sugar and a cherry. Gonzales said the fried Coke came about just from thinking aloud.

Gonzales' diet-buster wins the creativity honor at the second-annual Big Tex Choice Awards Contest.

Judges for the contest chose Shirley London's Fried Praline Perfection as the tastiest fried delicacy.

The two won out among 26 entries such as fried macaroni and cheese and a deep-fried cosmopolitan.

London said she came up with the fried pralines idea after buying pralines at the fair last year. She plans to sell the pralines alongside fried marshmallows.

Gonzales achieved notoriety in 2005 with the fried peanut butter, banana, and jelly sandwich -- selling an estimated 25,000 of the treats, according to the fair's Web site. The site said London got media attention in 2004 with her fried marshmallows on-a-stick.

This is the same state fair that brought about the corn dog. The Web site said Neil and Carl Fletcher conjured up a sweetened corn-battered wiener on-a-stick and sold it for 15 cents during the 1942 State Fair of Texas.

The fair begins Sept. 29.

[Lorena]

Yuk, this sounds nasty. But then again, a Krispy Creme Burger sounded nasty until cartman proved us wrong.

What will they deep fry next? Oh yeah, and I saw deep fried mac and cheese on "Ham on the Street" on FoodNetwork, so that ain't new.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Along with a guy I used to work with, we came up with the idea that EVERYTHING is better after it is deep fried. The only restriction was it had to survive the deep frying process--someone challenged us once with butter.
Does this make it true?

[rkmsuf]

Isn't this just flavored fried dough?

Coke flavor that is? Doesn't seem very creative.

[Bee]

Isn't this just flavored fried dough?

Coke flavor that is? Doesn't seem very creative.

Well, he did put a cherry on top.

[JediKooter]

Deep fried buffalo wing flavored beer.

[jbmagic]

Deep fried pizza is really good.

[Glengoyne]

Few things have proven as decadent as a deep fried Snickers or Milky-Way.

Oh and on the butter. You freeze it first, just like the candy bars.

[Lathum]

only in Texas could they come up with this.

[Lorena]

only in Texas could they come up with this.

Yup, did you all know that that's where the corndog was introduced?

Per Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corndog

[stevew]

Yup, did you all know that that's where the corndog was introduced?

Per Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corndog

I gather you didn't read post one in this thread?

[Lorena]

I gather you didn't read post one in this thread?

:o

oops, kinda skimmed through it

[Julio Riddols]

And thus, fat people on failing diets everywere asked, "Does it come in "diet coke" flavor? I'm watching my figure.."

[cartman]

On tap this year: FRIED BEER!!!

http://www.wfaa.com/news/entertainment/8-fried-food-finalists-vie-for-Big-Tex-crown-101496189.html

[Bearcat729]

On tap this year: FRIED BEER!!!

http://www.wfaa.com/news/entertainment/8-fried-food-finalists-vie-for-Big-Tex-crown-101496189.html

I'm more impressed by fried club salad, I wonder how they do it.

The club salad uses a spinach wrap surrounding layers of diced ham and chicken, lettuce, carrot strips, cheese and hickory-smoked bacon

[Greyroofoo]

I learned long ago that if you can deep fry ice cream you can fry anything.

[Mota]

My wife and mother-in-law are going to the CNE in Toronto on Friday and are hoping to get the deep fried butter.

I mean, butter is bad enough for you, but do you really have to deep fry it?

[JeeberD]

Fried Frito Pie sounds damn good...

[Lathum]

I recently had fried PB&J, it was awesome and gross at the same time.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

What is wrong with us as a society?

[bulletsponge]

deep fat frying is the zenith of society. dinosaures didnt have it and see what happened to them. and trust me if they could have deep fat fried a brontasaurus colon they would have

[MizzouRah]

Fried laffy taffy would be a treat!

[DaddyTorgo]

What is wrong with us as a society?

this

[MJ4H]

nothing a little fried coke cant fix

[Apathetic Lurker]

Whats next? Deep fried coke? or is it crack?

[Apathetic Lurker]

My wife and mother-in-law are going to the CNE in Toronto on Friday and are hoping to get the deep fried butter.

I mean, butter is bad enough for you, but do you really have to deep fry it?

easy way to legally get rid of pesky in-laws

[Buccaneer]

I am surprised that Texas is not in the Top 10 Most Obese states, even though its neighbors of Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana are. People's cravings for fried food is pathetic and sad.

[Schmidty]

I think you guys are being a little too harsh and holier-than-thou. This stuff is a novelty, fun food, FAIR food. It's not like people are eating this stuff more than a few times a year. I don't hear the same complaints about all the bacon junk, and that's way nastier than this.

[Lathum]

Anything is fine in moderation, I take good care of myself, if I eat a nasty fried surprise every once in a while no biggie.

I think the people Buc are talking about are the southern country fried steak dump gravy on everything crowd.

[Apathetic Lurker]

I think you guys are being a little too harsh and holier-than-thou. This stuff is a novelty, fun food, FAIR food. It's not like people are eating this stuff more than a few times a year. I don't hear the same complaints about all the bacon junk, and that's way nastier than this.

This stuff is just as bad as that KFC double down or whatever its called and that BK cheeseburger pizza....

[Buccaneer]

I am not saying that a significant percentage of the population eat a novelty fried [whatever] everyday but they do regularly eat its equivalent in terms of fat grams and calories.

[Greyroofoo]

I am not saying that a significant percentage of the population eat a novelty fried [whatever] everyday but they do regularly eat its equivalent in terms of fat grams and calories.

Shouldn't you be out somewhere eating Rocky Mountain Oysters or something?

[terpkristin]

I am not saying that a significant percentage of the population eat a novelty fried [whatever] everyday but they do regularly eat its equivalent in terms of fat grams and calories.

I think that people these days don't realize how much they're eating (and they make poor choices when it comes to eating in general). In the last generation or so, we've become even more of a culture of going out to eat instead of cooking. The easiest choices for going out (fast food, chain restaurants) have huge portions laden with salt and fat (which taste good!), which makes it hard for people to realize what they're consuming.

Even when staying in, it's more convenient to have salt/fat laden pre-packaged food (Rice-A-Roni, Kraft Mac and Cheese, Hamburger Helper, to name a few) or easier to go to the cupboard and get snack food than it is for many to shop for raw goods and cook.

To boot, it usually ends up cheaper to buy the pre-packaged stuff than is to buy good quality fruits and veggies. I can attest that many of the fruits, veggies, and mass-produced meats in my local grocery have zero flavor compared to organic, in-season, local fruits and veggies (and organic/free-range meats, Kosher meats, or locally farmed meats). But the organic and Kosher stuff is usually more expensive, so people get the stuff that's grown out of season in foreign countries, then get discouraged when the food they make doesn't have much flavor.

Then there's the problem of people being too busy to eat properly and eating while doing other things, which makes them lose track of how much they're eating and what they're eating. I can fully attest that I tend to lose weight (not on purpose necessarily) when the only change I make to my eating habits are to cook from home more than going out and to not multi-task when I eat. I don't "feel" like I'm eating less (and maybe I'm not), but I know exactly what's gone into what I'm eating and have an idea of proper portion sizes. I'm also fortunate that I don't have to worry about a food budget or worry about feeding a large family on a fixed income.

Edit to add: It doesn't help that we seem to glorify eating and overeating on television. Man vs. Food is a show more or less devoted to excess, eating competitions are gaining more coverage, etc..

Sad but true. With no "easy fix" for most people.

/tk

[stevew]

Fried Kool-Aid?

Fried Kool-Aid a fair hit, creator says
By Jonathan Horn3:33 p.m., June 14, 2011

An order of deep-fried Kool Aid Tuesday at the San Diego County Fair. — Jonathan Horn DEL MAR — The deep-fried Kool-Aid is selling like deep-fried hot cakes, according to their famed creator, "Chicken" Charlie Boghosian.
Chicken Charlie's is a staple of fried rations at fairs across the country. It sold 400 to 600 orders of deep-fried Kool-Aid per day the first weekend of the San Diego County Fair. That's about double the rate of previous debut items, Boghosian said.

"That's because it tastes so darn good," Boghosian said of the Kool-Aid.

The deep-fried novelty takes the shape of a doughnut-hole. There are five per order. That breaks down to as much as 9,000 balls of deep-fried Kool-Aid eaten over opening weekend.

Boghosian said Chicken Charlie's has already gone through 150 pounds of Kool-Aid powder and 1,500 pounds of flour. Chicken Charlie's debuted deep-fried Klondike Bars and Pop Tarts in past years.

Fairgoers on Tuesday were also buying up the deep-fried Kool-Aid.

"It starts off tart and tangy, and then finishes really sweet... I love this stuff," said Seth Baldwin of Vista.

"It tastes just like a doughnut ball," said Rashed Karram, who said he prefers the deep-fried Klondike Bars.

Chicken Charlie's still sells the Klondike Bars, as well as deep-fried thin mints and even frog legs.

"I don't know if I have the stomach for that," Karram said of the frog legs.

[JediKooter]

YES!! Long live the Del Mar Fair!

[Dodgerchick]

YES!! Long live the Del Mar Fair!

Love me some Del Mar Fair!

[JediKooter]

Love me some Del Mar Fair!

I hated when they changed the name to the San Diego County Fair. I don't know anybody that has been in San Diego when it was called the Del Mar Fair ever calls it the San Diego County Fair.

Wanted go this year, but, looks like I'm going to miss it again. :(

[Galaxy]

only in Texas could they come up with this.

Doesn't Las Vegas a few concoctions of its own down on Fremont Street?

[stevew]

Had a Fried American Cheese on a stock when I was at Cedar Point. Tasted like a really good grilled cheese sandwich.

[QuikSand]

Had a Fried American Cheese on a stock when I was at Cedar Point. Tasted like a really good grilled cheese sandwich.

has been a staple there for a pretty long time... oddly it's technically a swiss cheese they use, but it ends up tasting like plain american

a brilliant concoction, i agree

[JonInMiddleGA]

Had a Fried American Cheese on a stock when I was at Cedar Point.

I'm picturing this as the fried cheese appetizer from one of corporate chain restaurants. Gonna guess that's the wrong imagery? (tastery?)

[fantom1979]

Cedar Point is a amusement park for those that don't know. Its one of the largest in the country. Think Six Flags.

[cougarfreak]

Cedar Point is a amusement park for those that don't know. Its one of the largest in the country. Think Six Flags.

With much better roller coasters. :)

[QuikSand]

I'm picturing this as the fried cheese appetizer from one of corporate chain restaurants. Gonna guess that's the wrong imagery? (tastery?)

Think more like a good corn dog, except on the inside is a sizable brick of white mild cheese instead of the dog. I know it doesn't sound all that exotic, but they seemed to hit a real sweet spot with the internal temperature and consistency -- it's been a long time since I had once, but I remain a big big fan. Best execution I have seen of that genre.

[fantom1979]

With much better roller coasters. :)

I had to rewrite my statement twice to avoid showing my bias towards Cedar Point. But I believe you are correct. I think many people would argue that Cedar Point is the best amusement park in the country if you are into roller coasters.