Once inside the fair, we headed to the Midway area. There it was. Fried Jambalaya -- the brainchild of veteran winner Abel Gonzalez Jr., who is known for winning with sweet treats like Fried Coke, Fried Peanut Butter and Jelly with Banana Sandwiches, Fried Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Fried Cookie Dough and Fried Butter.
If you haven't tried it yet, you really should when you go to the fair. Fried Jambalaya is a ball of jambalaya (complete with shrimp and sausage) that's coated in a lightly-seasoned batter, deep-fried and served inside an onion ring with some spicy ranch dressing.
Never mind the fat content or calories. It's the State Fair of Texas for Pete's sake. Live a little.
Worth the Hype?
I seriously thought this was the best food that I tasted at the State Fair today. We were talking to some friends tonight and my husband opined that the PB&J+Banana Sandwich was the best we'd had today. Spoiler Alert: It made my Top 3 list -- and Gonzales is the big winner because he created both dishes. But the Jambalaya proved to me that it was worthy of all the hype and it ranks as the #1 food item that you should eat at the State Fair this year. At $5 or 10 coupons, it's worth the money and will leave you wanting for more. I shared with my husband and daughter and wished I had the entire dish to myself.
So many fried foods -- so little time. So hurry because the State Fair of Texas runs through Sunday, October 21, 2012.
