Veggie Time
State Fair of Texas favorite Fletcher's does the unthinkable with new corny dog
Fletcher's, the original food vendor at the State Fair of Texas, will debut an exciting new product for the 2015 fair that heeds a major trend in dining: a veggie corn dog.
Proprietor Gigi Fletcher confirms that a vegetarian corn dog will be on the menu, in response to a growing demand from customers.
"We did a test run at our booth at Earth Day and feel like we got it figured out," Fletcher says. "My daughters have been suggesting this. They see what's going on, and we feel like it's a good place to go."
Before there were fried foods or Big Tex Choice awards, there was Fletcher's, home of the original State Fair corny dog, and a regular at the State Fair of Texas since 1942. The corn dog has a unique, slightly thick battered shell that makes the experience as much about the corn-based crust as it is about the hot dog.
The Fletchers have tooled and improved their recipe over the years, including last year when they upgraded their hot dog to a better frank. They've also added other flavor options including spicy jalapeno and cheese and a turkey "bird dog" that has proven to be a surprise hit.
"We've had great success with the turkey dog, we sell more of those every year," she says. "It has brought in a completely separate audience."
The family is still working on the recipe, and for now it will be vegetarian, not vegan. "We're going to use our regular batter, which has milk and egg," she says. "Like my husband says, this is just a corny dog that doesn't have the dog."
It'll cost the same as the original, which is 10 coupons or $5. (The jalapeno is the only premium option with 12 coupons or $6.) And it will be available only at one of the six stands: the permanent location, which is the big red wooden building near the Midway at MLK-10F, across from the Log Flume water ride.
"We'll start with just one location, and go from there," she says.
