The Fruit Twister Shake-up from Goodwin Family Products has been voted the 2014 ‘Signature Food’ of the Indiana State Fair. Online voters selected this beverage over four other finalists after viewing photos of all the entries and reading the comments of six panelists who tasted all five dishes. The contest had a “Reconstructed/Deconstructed” theme to tie in to the fair’s “Year of the Coliseum” celebration honoring the recent $63 million Fairgrounds Coliseum Complex renovation project.
The winning entry combines fresh lemons, oranges, pineapple and strawberries with sugar or Splenda, ice and water. It is then shaken to perfection to make a delicious and refreshing summertime drink. Visitors will be able to find the fair’s newest beverage on Main Street not far from the Fairgrounds Coliseum.
“Perfect flavor!” contest judge Greg Browning of WJJK Radio said. “I love the strawberry pieces and pineapple.”
“Very refreshing!” EatDrinkIndy.com Editor Jolene Ketzenberger said. “A tasty alternative to a lemon shake-up. Lots of flavor.”
The “Reconstructed/Deconstructed” contest rules required all the vendors to “renovate” fair-favorite recipes and present them in a new, exciting way. Here are the other entries, which will all be on sale at the State Fair:
- The Mac Daddy (Gobble Gobble) – Gobble Gooble’s signature homemade macaroni and cheese topped with their pulled BBQ turkey
- Funnel Cake Ice Cream Sandwich (Urick Concessions) – Creamy, soft-served vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two golden brown mini funnel cakes topped with powdered sugar and a drizzle of chocolate sauce
- Cheeseburger Basket on a Stick (Barto’s Catering) – All the elements of Barto’s signature cheeseburger basket rolled into one delicious ball – fresh seasoned ground beef and sharp-aged cheddar cheese tucked into a hash brown potato ball, rolled in seasoned bread crumbs, deep-fried to a golden brown and served on a stick to be eaten on-the-go
- Colossal Grilled Cheese Sandwich with a Salted Chocolate Carmel Shake (American Dairy Association) – Three columns of breaded mozzarella sandwiched between two slices of American cheese grilled to perfection on Sour Dough Bread, accompanied by a delicious Salted Chocolate Caramel Milkshake
The Indiana State Fair runs Aug. 1 – 17.