State Fair of Texas officials announce Big Tex Choice Awards winners
DALLAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) - State Fair of Texas officials announced which dishes won in each of the three Big Tex Choice Awards categories: best savory dish; best sweet dish; and most creative dish.
CBS News Texas also made a survey of our own where you got to make your vote. You can check out those winners underneath the YouTube live stream.
Best savory dish
Judges chose Michelle Le's deep fried pho as the winner of the best savory dish category.
Le's "Deep Fried Pho" has everything a bowl of pho has—noodles, slices of beef, fresh herbs, bean sprouts and a taste of aromatic pho broth—only it's wrapped up and fried. It's served with pho broth for dipping, lime, jalapeños, cilantro, hoisin sauce and sriracha. The State Fair of Texas says this pairs well with Karbach's Hopadillo IPA.
Best sweet dish
Judges chose Stephen El Gidi's Biscoff delight as the winner of the best sweet dish category.
El Gidi's "Biscoff Delight" is a classic, New York-style cheesecake coated with Belgian chocolate and then fried in a layer of crushed Biscoff cookies. It's topped with a drizzle of Lotus Biscoff spread. The State Fair says this pairs well with Ziegenbock.
Most creative dish
Judges chose Cody & Lauren Hays' bourbon banana caramel sopapillas as the winner of the most creative dish category.
The Hays' "Bourbon Banana Caramel Sopapillas" is a traditional sopapilla dish, topped with vanilla-caramel-infused bananas, sweet bourbon syrup, crushed candied pecans, sweetened mascarpone cheese and crumbled Nilla Wafers. To finish it off, it's dusted with powdered sugar. The State Fair says this pairs well with a Ziegenbock.
CBS News Texas' Survey
Thirty-three CBS News Texas viewers voted in the best savory dish category. Our winner was the deep fried cheesy crab tater bites, with 15 votes.
Twenty-nine CBS News Texas viewers voted in the best sweet dish category. Our winner was the bourbon banana caramel sopapillas, with 15 votes.
Twenty-four CBS News Texas viewers voted in the most creative dish category. Our winner was the deep fried pho, with 10 votes.