Mariachi bands, horses, dancers, and magicians entertained. Other food vendors offered curly fries, giant corn dogs, funnel cakes, cowboy nachos, ribbon fries, beef brisket, smoked turkey legs, and mini donuts. Even the South Texas College culinary students did their best to win us over with tasty onion tarts, moist onion bread, and thick onion marmalade, but the transformation of sweet Texas onions into deep fried flowers stole our attention.
The performance began with the onions being peeled then cut to spread the tight ball of onion into the shape of a blossoming flower.
Dipped into a mixture of egg and milk, shaken, then drenched with flour and secret seasonings, they begin to look like octopus.
Floating to the surface in the peanut oil-filled deep fryers, they look like oversized servings of calamari.
As soon as they reach a golden-brown colour they are scooped out of the oil, drained, and tipped on to a paper plate. Blossoms once again, with petals ready for plucking.
In an instant, the core of the onion is removed and replaced with a container of dip.
Laryssa Garcia, Miss Texas Onion Blossom 2014.
Larrysa is as excited about the Onion Blossom as we are.
And we are not alone.
