luishinton: 25 Deep-Fried Foods From the Texas State Fair

For years, county fairs have been at the forefront of deep-frying science, splicing and creating mutant ?foods? that are all at once monstrous and wondrous. The Texas State Fair ? the largest state fair in the country?? holds a yearly competition for the most innovative deep-fried foods. Here are 25 fried Frankenfoods from fairs past:

1. Bubblegum

Photo: CC Collin Harvey on Flickr

It?s actually bubblegum-flavored marshmallows, battered and deep fried and sprinkled with Chicklets. Do you chew this? Eat it? Who knows, but you can buy it.

2. Butter

Photo: CC mgerskup on Flickr

Frozen balls of butter, battered and fried and served with four sauces. Because why not.

3. Beer

Photo: CC Stacy Huggins on Flickr

Nope, this isn?t beer battered. This is beer: battered and fried. The beer is poured into little ravioli pockets which burst with scalding suds upon first bite.

4. Peanut Butter Banana Cheeseburgers

Photo: FoodBeast

Elvis would probably make a special trip to Texas just to see this.

5. Coke

Photo: CC L. Richarz on Flickr

An enterprising chef found a way to deep fry soda without the 3rd degree burns.

6. Chicken Fried Bacon

Photo: CC ladybugbkt on Flickr

This is self-explanatory. And probably delicious.

7. Jelly Belly Jelly Beans

Photo: CC RosieTulips on Flickr

It?s really just batter with some Jelly Belly jelly beans mixed in, like a fritter on a sugar high.

8. Cadbury Cr?me Eggs

Photo: CC goodiesfirst on Flickr

Easter doesn?t have nearly enough fried foods? until now.

9. Pizza

Photo: CC Siggi Churchill on Flickr

It?s not just pizza ingredients inside a ball of dough. No. It?s an actual slice of pizza, breaded and fried.

10. Kool-Aid

Photo: CC nineminutes on Flickr

With an extra sprinkle of Kool-Aid powder over the top instead of powdered sugar.

11. French Fry Coated Hot Dog

Photo: CC phil.lees on Flickr

See? It exists.

12. Pecan Pie

Photo: CC erichcpeters on Flickr

There?s probably not a more delicious way to gain five pounds.

13. Lattes

Photo: CC Traveling Fools of America on Flickr

This one is a bit of a misnomer, it seems; the fried part is a sweet dough, which is topped with coffee-flavored ice cream, whipped cream and shaved chocolate.

14. PB&J

Photo: CC bittermelon on Flickr

With a banana thrown in for good measure.

15. Salsa

Photo: thestir.com

Deep-fried condiments can?t be a good thing, but according to some people, this is the best-tasting item at the fair. It?s salsa mixed with masa, then rolled in crushed tortilla chips before frying.

16. Pop Tarts

Photo: CC?RosieTulips on Flickr

It?s hard to see, but there?s a Pop Tart in there.

17. Margaritas

Photo: CC David Berkowitz on Flickr

Funnel cake batter made with margarita mixer, fried and soaked in more margarita, all served in a salt-rimmed glass.

18. Club Salad

Photo: New York Daily News

The thing about salad is that it?s good for you, usually. Not this time. This is a spinach wrap filled with ham, bacon, cheese, chicken, tomatoes, shredded lettuce and carrots, fried and served on a bed of lettuce.

19. S?mores

Photo: CC David Berkowitz on Flickr

It was only a matter of time.

20. Pumpkin Pie

Photo: CC Collin Harvey on Flickr

It?s a pocket filled with pumpkin pie, rolled in cinnamon and ginger snaps, fried and served with whipped cream.

21. Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Photo: CC Blazenhoff on Flickr

Each item is battered and fried individually, skewered and served with whipped cream and a cherry. The ?upside-down? part is up to you.

22. Deep Fried Cheesecake

Photo: CC Stacey Huggins on Flickr

Cheesecake filling wrapped in a tortilla, fried.

23. Oreos

Photo: CC Jenn Larsen on Flickr

These are amazing, actually.

And this year?s winners, announced this week:

24. Fried Jambalaya: Best Taste

Photo: David Woo for The Dallas Morning News

25. Fried Bacon Cinnamon Roll: Most Creative