Big Tex Choice Award Winners Are In – Can’t You Just Taste It?

If you are a Texas State Fair food aficionado, then this is the biggest news designed for your taste buds all year. The verdict is in for the 18th Annual Big Tex® Choice Awards. 

We hear it was a battle for the ages. An all-star panel of judges tasted all 10 foods and carefully evaluated each one, tallied their scores, and cast their final votes.

The Winners Are:

Best Taste – Savory

Fried Charcuterie Board, Tami Nevins-Mayes & Josey Mayes
Meats, cheeses, fruits – oh my! Chopped-up fresh mozzarella, salami, and crisp green apples are tossed in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and Italian herbs. Then the ingredients are wrapped in a wonton wrapper and fried to a golden crisp, topped with creamy goat cheese and a drizzle of hot honey. Everyone’s favorite appetizer rolled into one perfect bite!

Best Taste – Sweet

Peanut Butter Paradise, Chris Easter & Nicole Sternes
Man cannot live by bread alone – he must have peanut butter. Peanut Butter Paradise starts with deep-frying a honey bun. Then, caramel is injected into the honey bun and then topped with creamy peanut butter. The treat is then layered with some fan-favorite peanut butter treats, Reese’s Pieces, Crushed Butterfinger crumbles, topped off with peanut butter cups, drizzled caramel, and a cloud of powdered sugar. Just another day in paradise!

Most Creative

Cha-Cha Chata, The Garza Family
Sidestep all the others ‘cause it’s finally here – the milkshake that will make you Cha-Cha Chata all night long! Inspired by the cha-cha dance, the recipe starts with a triple-step of two kinds of milk and vanilla ice cream blended to perfection with the Garza family’s top-secret (but famously delicious) horchata recipe. The creamy drink is then poured into a cup rimmed with caramel and cinnamon goodness and topped with a Texas-sized dollop of whipped topping. To bring even more flavor to your tastebuds, the Cha-Cha Chata is dusted with crushed candy, a sprinkle of cinnamon galletas de gragega, and deep-fried arroz con leche bites. Take hold of the churro straw and take a sip, we promise it will cha-cha change your life!

The other 2022 finalists included: Chicharron Explosion Nachos by Glen and Sherri Kusak, Deep Fried BLT by Tom Grace, Deep Fried Lasagna Roll by The Parish Family, Holy Biscuit by Isaac Rousso, Deep Fried Rocky Road with Blue Bell Ice Cream® by Cody and Lauren Hays, La Bluebonnet by Milton and Gracie Whitley, and The Ultimate Brookie Monster by Juan and Brent Reaves. They can all be seen here.

Big Tex would like to thank the panel of celebrity judges: Brad Batson – Co-Founder, Karbach Brewing Company; Hiawatha Williams – Founder, Williams Chicken; Lance Barrow – Emmy Award-Winning CBS Sports Producer; Maricsa Trejo – Pastry Chef and Founder, La Casita Bakeshop; Rob “Big Rob” Maiden – Captain, Mavs ManiAACs; Bruce Sifford – State Fair of Texas Board Chairman.

But Wait, There's More!

The even better news from all of this is that each of the 10 finalists will be available all 24 days of the 2022 State Fair of Texas, plus a full slate of other new foods being offered at the Fair this year. Fair fanatics should be sure and pick up a Visitor’s Guide, which includes a food map that lays out the vendor locations for each of the finalists or check out the food finder map on BigTex.com/Map.

Don't miss the 2022 State Fair of Texas, opening day is September 30 at Fair Park, Dallas. For more information, visit BigTex.com.

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