FOOD AT OUR STATE FAIR AMONG ‘BEST OF THE BEST’

Deep-fried enchilada dog earns Food Paradise’s ‘best of best’ distinction

The New Mexico State Fair will be in the spotlight on the Travel Channel’s “Food Paradise.”

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The New Mexico State Fair will be in the spotlight on Sunday during a “best of the best” episode of the Travel Channel’s “Food Paradise” that will highlight some of the best fair foods in the United States.

The show will feature a pair of local, longstanding New Mexico State Fair concessionaires — Casa Dog, owned and operated by Gil Stewart and Rex’s Makin Bacon, owned by Rex Thompson.

The episode includes a deepfried enchilada dog from Casa Dog, consisting of a bakery bun, which holds the hot dog, which is wrapped in a corn tortilla and a thick piece of smoked bacon.

Both vendors operate multiple food booths at the event and have been serving up State Fair food for decades.

“We really enjoyed the opportunity to host the Travel Channel crew at last year’s New Mexico State Fair. We know from experience that fair food is one of the best things about the event, and one of the main reasons people come to the fair year after year,” said Dan Mourning, general manager of the New Mexico State Fair in a news release.

“The New Mexico State Fair has gained national attention as a premier event, and the folks at the Travel Channel were drawn to our uniquely delicious New Mexico cuisine as well some of the traditional fried favorites you’ve come to expect during a visit to the fair.”

The Travel Channel filmed the episode on site at the State Fair during the 2016 event, and its description of the episode indicates it visited to taste the “best of the best.”

Two other fairs and their foods will also be featured in Sunday evening’s episode, which will be repeated multiple times through the month of March. Check your local provider for the Travel Channel and local listings for times.

For more information: www. travelchannel.com/shows/foodparadise/episodes/feasting-at-the-fair.

ROBERTO E. ROSALES/JOURNAL Gil Stewart at Casa Dog, one of four concession stands he runs at the New Mexico State Fair. Travel Channel’s “Food Paradise” filmed his deep-fried enchilada dog during last year’s fair.