CHRISTI ERPILLO and her family have been dishing out the greasy goodness at the State Fair of Texas for more than 40 years. If you’re a fan of the funnel cake, thank her mother, Wanda Winter, who was the first vendor to sell it at the fair. But these days, the family is serving more than just funnel cakes, like their fried chili Frito burrito, which was a finalist in this year’s Big Tex Choice Awards.
So, what’s in a fried chili Frito burrito?
Basically, it’s chili cheese Frito chips, Texas-style chili, and a flour tortilla. We crush up the chili cheese Frito chips, and mix them into the Texas-style chili. Then we wrap that in an uncooked flour tortilla, and fry the entire burrito. By using an uncooked flour tortilla, the burrito comes out light and crispy, and not too heavy. Then you can top the burrito with onions, shredded cheese, queso, sour cream, guacamole, or whatever else tickles your fancy.
Where did the idea for a fried chili Frito burrito come from?
We wanted to create something that was truly Texan. So we thought about it, and we couldn’t think of anything that’s more Texan than chili and fried food, so we figured combine the two and fry the chili — now, that’s true to Texas.
Are you guys revealing any other new fried creations this year?
Yes, we’ve created fried potato stack-ups. It’s a seasoned hash-brown patty topped with bacon and cheddar cheese, and then another seasoned hash-brown patty topped with more bacon and cheddar cheese. Then we top it all off with Cavender’s seasoning and either sour cream or ranch dressing, and chives. It pretty much tastes like a fried baked potato, so it’s very good. We’ll also be selling fried macaroni and cheese, which we created last year for the fair, and that was a big hit, so we’re bringing it back again this year.
And where can fairgoers find your food?
We run The Dock and La Cantina, which are both inside the Embarcadero building, and they’ll both be open during the fair. We’ll also have a funnel cake stand just outside the Old Mill Inn.
Why do you think fried foods are always such a big hit at the Fair?
Because it’s not every day you eat fried chili Frito burritos with a side of fried macaroni and cheese, and a funnel cake, I hope. People wait all year to come to the fair and blow their diet. If you watch your calorie intake most days, it’s a treat to come here and splurge for a day — and if you’re ever going to splurge on food, the Texas State Fair is the place to do it.
What do you enjoy most about being a food vendor at the fair?
This line of work is just literally in my blood. My family has been doing it for 40 years, and I started when I was just 17. My mother, Wanda Winter, is 81 years old, and she still works at the fair every year. People might not think about it, but the same vendors come back every year, so there’s a real comradeship between the vendors at the Texas state fair. Sure it’s 24 days of hard work, but it’s always fun.
The State Fair of Texas runs Friday, Sept. 28, through Sunday, Oct. 21. Visit bigtex.com for information.
