Two funnel cakes that act as buns, thick and juicy bacon strips, a beefy burger and a ladle’s amount of melted queso cheese comprise the Funnel Cake Bacon Queso Burger, 2017 Big Tex Choice Award winner for best taste, savory, and most creative.
Winner for best taste, sweet, went to the Gulf Coast Fish Bowl, a “whimsical drink featuring all the flavors of your favorite tropical coast with a kick,” according to a Big Tex news release. This candied and adult-only creation consists of a fish bowl with Nerds candy “gravel” and filled with a blue alcoholic, tropical-flavored punch. Swedish Fish “swimming” through the drink top this sweet treat off.
The 13th Annual Big Tex Choice Awards were presented by VisitDallas. Ten finalists were narrowed down to two leaving just the top of the top.
Big Tex Choice Awards nine-year veteran Clint Probst created the Gulf Coast Fish Bowl, and Tom Grace is the mind behind the Funnel Cake Bacon Queso Burger. Probst has had creations make the semi-finals eight times before winning this year, and Grace is no newbie either, this being his second time to have a creation make the finals.
Other foods that made it to the final round include: Chris Howard’s Deep-Fried Chicken Noodle Soup on a Stick, Deep Fried Froot Loops by Milton Whitley, Tami Nevins-Mayes’ Fat Smooth, Fernie’s Fried Texas Sheet Cake by Winter Family Concessions, Robert Parish’s Pinot Noir Popcorn, Surfin’ Turfin’ Tator Boat by Melissa Harrison, Nick Bert’s Texas Fajita Fries and The Tamale Donut by Justin Martinez.
All 10 items will be available during this year’s state fair. Fair visitor guides will include a food map showing locations for each of the finalists, and will be available at the fair’s information booths or online at BigTex.com.
Money from tickets to the tasting event go toward the State Fair of Texas Youth Scholarship Program. According to the release, in the past 25 years, the Youth Scholarship Program has awarded scholarships to more than 2,000 students for a total of more than $10 million.