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State Fair season is upon us and, luckily for us, Dallas’s own James Beard-nominated chef, Anastacia Quiñones-Pittman of Jose, has taken the mantle to champion this year’s deep-fried and powered sugar-dusted dishes. In addition to being an expert on food, Quiñones-Pittman has worked with the fair and attends every year with her husband and kids — so she has a lot of long-standing favorite fair foods. Follow along as she experiences the highs, the lows, and the fried food hangovers of this year’s hottest state fair staples.
Hot Chick in a Pancake Poppers
The inspiration
Palmer and Amanda Fortune, of Palmer’s Hot Chicken in Lakewood, took two things they are already great at, Nashville hot chicken and pimento cheese, and deep fried them. The idea came from the long-standing tradition of deep fried balls.
The verdict: A+
Quiñones-Pittman (and all of us, frankly) were a bit worried when Fortune brought out an airfryer to prep the dish, but one bite of that tangy pimento cheese not only erased all our worries but prompted Quiñones-Pittman to declare it her favorite dish among the finalists. At the end of the day, when asked again in the parking lot, she stood by that decision.
Rousso’s Cotton Candy Bacon on a Stick
The inspiration
Isaac Rousso won’t share where he’s getting that amazing bacon or what exactly prompted this incredible idea. He did let it slip that he was thinking about the fair staple, Fletcher’s corny dogs, and wanted to make a comparable food that would advertise itself and become just as iconic.
The verdict: A
The bacon is so good that Quiñones-Pittman spent a lot of time trying to convince Rousso to give up his source so she can serve it in her restaurant. The photo of her face when she saw the bacon go into the cotton candy machine says it all. This Best Taste — Sweet winner seems to be a bite everyone has already heard about and wants to try. Quiñones-Pittman says it’s a hit.
Texas Sugar Rush Pickles
The inspiration
When Quiñones-Pittman walked up to this booth, she looked at Candy Pickle Factory owner Heather Perkins for a minute and then placed her. “Have I seen you on TikTok?” Yeah, Perkins said, laughing. Her out-there pickle creations are a viral sensation. It may have started with the chamoy pickle, but it won’t end until Perkins says stop.
The verdict: A-
After Perkins laid out all the ingredients for this dish, Quiñones-Pittman’s face grew incredulous. Upon trying it, she was a fan. Quiñones-Pittman remarked in cheffy style about how the textures play against each other, and then made Perkins’ sons come out to explain their inspirations. It turns out, Candy Crush and Wreck-It Ralph are their sources. Looks like they deserved the Most Creative award they landed for it.
Dominican Fritura Dog
The inspiration
Justin Martinez and Michael Tavarez dreamed up this wannabe corn dog/hot dog mash-up that took Best Taste — Savory in the awards. It is stuffed with fritura cheese and Dominican salami and coated with a secret sauce.
The verdict: A-
It was the first savory bite that Quiñones-Pittman had on our day at the fair, and she felt it was clear why this won. They still refused to tell us what is in the secret sauce.
Tropical Two-Step Punch
The inspiration
Honestly? The inspiration for this was the desire to get drunk at the fair. And Vietnamese fruit punches.
The verdict: B-
Quiñones-Pittman watched as Binh Tran lined the glass with hot sauce and added a mixture of citrus and mango juices. That’s it, that’s the whole drink. Fairgoers will have the option to add Fireball, rum, or vodka and Quiñones-Pittman recommends rum — but would love to try it with mezcal.
Texas Fried Burnt End Bombs
The inspiration
Nick and Vera Bert’s family have been fair concessionaires for over a century. The inspo for the dish? Barbecue, beef, and potatoes — you know, all the Texas favorites.
The verdict: B
The way they smelled as they cooked was sinful. Quiñones-Pittman got giddy waiting to try one. She didn’t hold back on dousing them in barbecue sauce, and neither should you. She declared it the most Texan of all the finalists.
Hippie Chips
The inspiration
Rose and Tom Deschenes have been developing this recipe for about a decade. There were a lot of chip combinations to try. It’s a deceptively simple dish.
The verdict: B+
This is the sleeper hit of the finalists. Looking at it, it’s like, Okay here are some wavy chips with baked potato toppings, no big deal. Quiñones-Pittman discovered that the Deschenes hand-make their ranch dressing to top them, and we all discovered that you will mindlessly eat them until someone takes them away from you.
Strawberry Pop-Tarts Beignetffle
The inspiration
This is another entry from Justin Martinez and Michael Tavarez, who cited New Orleans food as their jumping off point. The massive Belgium waffles frequently spotted at the fair were also inspiration. The tricky part was figuring out how people could carry this bite around — it’s pretty top-heavy.
The verdict: A
Quiñones-Pittman says this is going to replace funnel cakes and waffles for her family. It eliminates the need to share a messy, sticky dish, and comes with a stick. Genius.
The Drowning Taquitos
The inspiration
Tony and Terry Bednar aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel, they just want to serve a better taquito. Sticking it in a cup loaded up with guacamole, sour cream, and salsa does the trick.
The verdict: B+
Quiñones-Pittman could not stop raving about the avocado salsa in this dish. The Bednars noted that it is too spicy for some people. It is not. Just get it.
Nevins Nutty Bar-laska
The inspiration
The Nevins family are 75-year-old legacy fair stand concessioners. This sweet treat was the brainchild of Josie Mayes, the youngest Nevins, who got the idea at a campfire one night while making s’mores.
The verdict: B
Quiñones-Pittman watched the layers and layers go onto this desert and snorted when Mayes told her the freeze dried strawberry chips on top pull it together. Then she took a bite, and it turns out they really do. The biggest challenge is getting it all into your mouth.
