It’s hard to know where the idea for “fried bubblegum” came from, and it’s harder still to imagine what that could possibly taste like, but I guess that’s why we have the State Fair of Texas: Where else is your mother going to let you eat this stuff?

The eight finalists for the 7th Annual Big Tex Choice Awards for “best taste” and “most creative” new foods at the State Fair are: Buffalo Chicken in a Flapjack, Deep Fried Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Deep Fried Texas Salsa, El Bananarita, Fried Autumn Pie, Fried Bubblegum, Hans’ Kraut Ball and the Walking Taco.

The chicken-in-a-flapjack sounds promising to me, and the deep fried salsa could be interesting, too. Perennial champ Abel Gonzalez (of fried butter fame) is offering the upside down cake (just saw him on NBC’s Today Show this morning). The walking taco (taco ingredients served up in a Doritos bag) sounds similar to a taco in a bag I saw at the Minnesota State Fair last week.

Anyway, judging for the finalists is on Labor Day, so watch the TV stations, blogs, websites and DMN beginning at noon Monday to find out the winners. This year’s State Fair runs Sept. 30-Oct. 23.

Those of us here at the Advocate are part of the mix, too: We publish the printed Visitors Guide you’ll receive on-site, and we’re also working on a mobile Visitors Guide accessible from many smartphones this year, too. If you visit bigtex.com on your smartphone today, you’ll see at least part of what we’re preparing for the Fair, and if you have any comments or suggestions, please let me know at rwamre@advocatemag.com.

Good thing Monday is a holiday. The Bishop Arts District is hosting the Hotter Than Hell Margarita Meltdown competition from 6-10 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 4.

Bartenders from some of the city’s most popular restaurants, including Bolsa, Nova and Smoke, will mix up their favorite margarita recipes for a chance to win bragging rights as Big D’s best margarita maker. Tickets are $20 and include drink samples, and a donation will be made to La Voz de Anciano. Everyone who buys a ticket also gets one vote to use on their favorite margarita.

There will also be DJs and street food from Vera Cruz Cafe and Hacianda on Henderson.

The Dallas Morning News recently reported that Houston-based Spec’s, which sells beer, wine, liquor and specialty foods, will open stores in Dallas by the end of the year. The question is where.

Jay Alvis, who markets wine to local restaurants and fine wine shops, says Spec’s won’t consider any retail locations that are “damp,” meaning beer and wine sales are legal following last fall’s election, but liquor sales are not.

“A lot of of the areas that have gone so-called ‘wet’ have gone wet to beer and wine only. There are very few places that went ‘wet’ as opposed to ‘damp,’ and I’ve never heard of Spec’s going in with wine and beer only,” Alvis says.

So expect to see Spec’s moving into areas where liquor stores are already established. Spec’s will carry its own exclusive wine and spirits labels, and also is known for its own specialty food labels, Alvis says, “which is what Trader Joe’s does, but Spec’s also has a broad distribution base to carry the bigger-named brands at very low prices.” A store such as Central Market may carry 2,000-3,000 brands, Alvis says, and in comparison, Spec’s may carry 14,000-16,000.

Alvis believes Spec’s will be a fierce competitor because “they negotiate a bigger case volume and try to get a lower price, then pass that lower price on to the consumer. I wouldn’t be surprised if they match Sam’s and Costco prices.”

The Morning News story noted that Spec’s stores range in size from 8,000 to 80,000 square feet, the latter being its flagship store in Houston. If Spec’s tends toward the smaller size in Dallas, it may end up competing for spaces with Trader Joe’s, which typically seeks out real estate in the 8,000-12,000 square foot range.

It’s authentic coastal cuisine from the state of Veracruz, specializing in dishes with eclectic and powerful flavors.

The Two Wine Guys, John Bratcher and Jeff Siegel, will answer wine-related questions at the State Fair. We’ve also got a recipe for couscous jambalaya.

Says the invitation: “Come put a face with the name and a handshake with the social media profile.”

Eno’s hosts an all-neighborhoods happy hour from 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 24. It’s a casual event with no formal program. Get there early for a special, $10 pizzas until 6:30 p.m.

Amy Cowan of Go Oak Cliff says they are planning to organize these happy hours every month. If your business would like to host, email her: amy@cowanroberts.com.

This Wednesday, Aug. 24, at 7:30 p.m., El Ranchito is hosting its 9th Annual Elvis impersonator competition. For $3, customers can enjoy a side of Elvis with their Tex-Mex, as countless Elvis wannabes sing their hearts out and compete for the grand prize, $500 in cash.

The El Ranchito Elvis impersonator competition got its start in 2003, when ER general manager, Juan Sanchez (brother of co-founder Laura Sanchez), decided to honor his favorite singer with the contest. Sanchez, who used to participate in Elvis impersonator contests around town, now emcees the event.

The locally famous Tableside S’mores at Tillman’s Roadhouse are being featured on the Food Network’s new show, “Sugar High”, this Friday, August 19 at 9:30 C.

As part of the show’s endeavor to explore sweet treats across the nation, “Sugar High” host Duff Goldman (the “Ace of Cakes”) traveled to Tillman’s to learn the secrets behind the beloved Tableside S’mores and make them himself. This popular dessert comes with a selection of made-from-scratch orange, maple or coffee marshmallows, as well as cinnamon grahams and dark chocolate bark.

“We are so excited to be on The Food Network this Friday,” said Tillman’s Roadhouse co-owner Sara Tillman. “It is a great opportunity to show the nation how fun and unique Tillman’s really is.”

To celebrate Tillman’s Food Network appearance, free samples of the Tableside S’mores will be handed out during the show on Friday evening.

The owners make their own sauce on Oak Cliff Pizza crust with several options for toppings.

There are, at best guess, more than 15,000 different wines on sale in the United States, so it’s not like we don’t have a lot of choices.