The Great State Fair of Texas!

After a year of waiting and hype, the fair finally came to town!

When I was a teen, I loved watching American chick flicks where a cute boy would take his girl to the fair and win her a huge teddy, snuggle next to her on the Ferris Wheel and buy her candy floss (or 'cotton candy'). Well, that was the snapshot of my life on Sunday, except that the Ferris Wheel cost 16 coupons each (!!!) and I don't like candy floss. But my husband did win me a cuddly blue pig. His name is Mr. Reginald Oinkle. 

One of the main attractions of the State Fair is the food.In particular, the deep fried food. The deep fried menu this year included deep fried snickers, deep fried sweet tea, deep fried milk and cookies on a stick, Texas fried chicken in a waffle cone (a 'chicken ice cream', if you will), deep fried biscuits (the southern kind) with chocolate gravy, and deep fried breakfast. 

I decided to try the deep fried oreos. They were actually quite nice! I was expecting fish and chip crunchy beer batter, but it was more like a soft dough batter with melted oreo cookies inside:

(I know I look like I'm in pain, but they really weren't that bad. And if you're wondering, yes, that is Mr. Reginald Oinkle.)

My other eating experiences included a cowboy burrito (the BEST burrito I have ever tasted - brisket, potatoes, cheese, onion - almost like a burrito version of a Cornish pasty) and some Tornado chips (long, curly crisps, freshly made):

(Yes, that is indeed a cowboy head cup in my hands. His name is Big Tex, and he is the State Fair mascot.)

Another food tradition at the fair is to gnaw on a giant turkey leg (honestly, autumn is not a good time to be a turkey in Texas - if you're not consumed at the State Fair, Thanksgiving is just around the corner). They are huge and rustic and manly looking. My brother-in-law accepted the challenge this year:

(Nothing but respect for this man.)

While you're at the State Fair, there are a few things you have to see -


1) This year's butter sculpture: 

2) Some giant cowboy boots:

3) The pumpkin carver:

4) Some country dancing:

You also have to take advantage of some $5,500 massage chairs: 

(Don't worry, that's not a creepy stranger watching us . That's my father-in-law.)

And finally, no trip to the Texas State Fair would be complete without a photo in front of Big Tex: