As the 10th anniversary of the legendary Wisconsin State Fair food competition approaches, officials are excited to announce the finalists for The 2023 Sporkies. In honor of a decade of The Sporkies, the State Fair team upped the ante by debuting a new competition to accompany the annual Sporkies. Introducing, The Drinkies – a beverage competition that will showcase the best of the best of the non-alcoholic drink category.
Eight Sporkie finalists have been selected from 31 entries and four Drinkies finalists have been selected from 11 entries. On Tuesday, August 1, a panel of local celebrity judges will choose who wins the coveted Golden Spork and all-new Drinkie award.
The Drinkies Finalists:
Brown Sugar Sweet Potato Iced Latte – Mashed Potatoes On-a-Stick
Cool off with an iced latte flavored with brown sugar, sweet potato purée, a dash of
cinnamon, and brown sugar boba pearls. Garnished with a toasted marshmallow and a deep-fried sweet potato funnel cake nugget, the Brown Sugar Sweet Potato Iced Latte is sure to revive you on any day of the State Fair.
Cotton Candy Lemonade – Saz’s Miller High Life Pavilion
The Cotton Candy Lemonade is a delicious blend of cool lemonade with a sweet taste of blue cotton candy. It also comes with a big cloud of cotton candy on top! Truly every State Fair kid’s dream!
The Ferris Mule – Old Fashioned Sipper Club
The Ferris Mule is a non-alcoholic mule crafted with fresh blackberries, ginger beer,
freshly squeezed lime juice, and agave nectar – all of which is hand shaken and poured over ice. Garnished with fresh blackberries, a rosemary sprig, and lime wheel, The Ferris Mule takes a summer classic drink and elevates it with a fresh Fair time twist.
Mango Tango Tajín – Caribbean Smoothees
The Mango Tango Tajín drink blends juicy mangoes with tangy pineapple to create the bottom layer. It’s topped with a creamy strawberry smoothie layer. Finish it off with a sweet and spicy Chamoy sauce drizzled over top and sprinkled with a kick of Tajín seasoning for a perfect sweet and spicy combination.
The Sporkies Finalists:
Beer Cheese Wisconsin Lava Cake – WürstBar
A savory take on a sweet classic, the Beer Cheese Wisconsin Lava Cake sums up
Wisconsin in one bite! The salted Milwaukee Pretzel Company slider buns are filled with beer cheese soup, topped with butter and pretzel salt, and drizzled with house-made hot honey and red pepper flakes.
Coastal Corn Nuggets – Tropics
Starting off with corn nuggets, these freshly deep-fried dough balls with sweet corn
kernels in the center and a crispy shell exterior are the sweet and savory base. Then
Coastal Corn Nuggets are smothered with a creamy white queso and topped with a homemade tropical slaw and a tangy pineapple-mango salsa. This hearty treat is finished by adding a dusting of cotija cheese.
Deep-Fried Apple Pie – Saz’s BBQ
The Deep-Fried Apple Pie takes homemade apple pie filling and sandwiches it between two slices of white bread dipped in sweet French toast batter. Next, deep-
fry it to perfection and top with caramel drizzle and cinnamon sugar. This “fair-ified” take on the classic campfire treat, a pudgy pie, brings you the flavors of a slice of apple pie in a fun new way.
Dill Pickle Donut – Fluffy’s Hand Cut Donuts
What started as an April Fool’s Day joke has taken off… welcome the Dill Pickle Donut. Get ready to bite into this hand cut yeast-raised donut “frosted” with a dill pickle juice whipped cream cheese and topped with thick cut dill pickles and a dill sprinkle.
Irish Dipper – Slim McGinn’s Irish Pub
This Irish Onion Dip is made with cream cheese, Guinness beer, caramelized onions, and Irish cheddar. It is layered with classic Irish beef in Guinness gravy on a French roll to create a flavor bomb sandwich that will make everyone happy. Served with a soufflé cup of Guinness gravy for dipping.
The Porkie – Camp Bar
Featuring vanilla custard layered with cheesecake bites and hot fudge, The Porkie is topped with graham cracker crust, more hot fudge, warm caramel, a graham cracker cookie, and cherry. However, it wouldn’t be complete without a piece of Rupena’s candied bacon dipped in chocolate and rolled in sprinkles.
Sweet and Savory Funnel Cake “Fries” – Bud Pavilion
This dish pays homage to beloved Wisconsin State Fair staples in one decadent dish.
Crispy and golden funnel cake “fries” are topped with savory cheese curds and crispy
bacon pieces. Then it is drizzled with rich chocolate sauce and a sweet cream cheese
frosting glaze. The Sweet and Savory Funnel Cake Fries are sure to satisfy any craving for something sweet, salty, and indulgent.
Wisconsin Quesadilla – Mexican Grill
Stuffed full of cheese curds, chunks of brats, grilled onions and peppers, and shredded cheese, this quesadilla is cooked to golden brown perfection and served with sour cream and salsa on the side.
The Judges:
Dario Melendez will return as emcee and moderate the panel of judges as they taste, deliberate, and select the winners. The celebrity judges will include:
- Chef Adam Pawlak, Egg & Flour and Food Network’s Superchef Grudge Match
- Chef Ashley Turner, Hacienda Taproom & Kitchen and Food Network’s Chopped
- Judy H. of MKEeeeeats, a Milwaukee-based culinary content creator
- Melanie Ricks, Radio Personality and Milwaukee Bucks in-game host
- Ryan Castelaz, Discourse Coffee and The Counter Day Bar
- Sandra Dempsey, Source Ten and Estamos Unidos US
- Steve Novak , Sportscaster, former NBA Player, and Marquette University Alumni
Additionally, all The Sporkies and Drinkies items entered will be available for purchase during the 2023 Wisconsin State Fair. A massive 13-foot Spork or Drinkie statue will be displayed at all finalists’ locations. All vendors who entered either competition will display a sticker at their State Fair location(s). See a full list of The Sporkies and Drinkies items here.
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