Oofty Goofty
01-22-2013, 11:43 PM
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Chef Joel Peña's bacon cotton candy will debut next season at Texas Motor Speedway.
By ERIC AASEN
Staff Writer
eaasen@dallasnews.com
Published: 20 January 2013 10:35 PM
This spring at Texas Motor Speedway, cotton candy is going hog wild.
The Fort Worth track is unveiling a new signature treat for racing fans: bacon cotton candy.
“All the NASCAR fans like bacon,” said Joel Peña, the speedway’s executive chef. “Who doesn’t like bacon in this country? Cotton candy and bacon — it’s two things that go hand in hand.
“I think we hit a home run.”
The treat, named Hawg Heaven Bacon Cotton Candy, will be sold at TMS events starting April 11, the kickoff for the new racing season. But the item will be unveiled on Tuesday in Charlotte at a NASCAR media tour.
Speedway officials are still hammering out the snack’s price, although it will probably be around $6.
So, how did they do it? Bacon is cooked and then chopped and mixed with sugar for several hours. The bacon pieces are removed, and the sugar, which becomes bacon-flavored, is whipped into cotton candy.
Bits of candied bacon are sprinkled on top.
The speedway’s cotton candy will have the same texture and airiness as traditional cotton candy. It will be light pink, but not the shockingly bright pink seen in cotton candy at carnivals.
The idea was inspired in part by a TMS marketing slogan, “No Limits Wild Asphalt Circus.”
“I was challenged by the environment and to see what we can do different, something that you can only have at Texas Motor Speedway,” Peña said.
Bacon seems to be all the rage these days in the foodie world, with bacon ice cream, bacon sundaes, bacon milkshakes, bacon cupcakes and bacon cinnamon rolls.
Bacon is among the most popular items served at TMS, whether it’s in salads, on burgers or in breakfast items. The new treat comes as other sporting venues have launched over-the-top snacks. Last spring, the Texas Rangers unveiled a humongous 1-pound, 2-foot-long hot dog that’s smothered with chili, cheese, jalapenos and onions.
“We want to give [racing fans] a reason to go outside the box,” said Marc Mann, director of operations for Levy Restaurants, which provides food service to the speedway. “We feel that after a few people try it, it will become a really popular signature item.”
Peña has experimented with the cotton candy over the past couple of months. He estimates he’s eaten about 25 batches.
At first, Peña said, you taste a bit of salt and smoke from the bacon. Then the sweetness of the cotton candy takes over.
“Let it go for a second,” Peña said, “and you start feeling the different flavors combine in your mouth.”
Chef Joel Peña's bacon cotton candy will debut next season at Texas Motor Speedway.
By ERIC AASEN
Staff Writer
eaasen@dallasnews.com
Published: 20 January 2013 10:35 PM
This spring at Texas Motor Speedway, cotton candy is going hog wild.
The Fort Worth track is unveiling a new signature treat for racing fans: bacon cotton candy.
“All the NASCAR fans like bacon,” said Joel Peña, the speedway’s executive chef. “Who doesn’t like bacon in this country? Cotton candy and bacon — it’s two things that go hand in hand.
“I think we hit a home run.”
The treat, named Hawg Heaven Bacon Cotton Candy, will be sold at TMS events starting April 11, the kickoff for the new racing season. But the item will be unveiled on Tuesday in Charlotte at a NASCAR media tour.
Speedway officials are still hammering out the snack’s price, although it will probably be around $6.
So, how did they do it? Bacon is cooked and then chopped and mixed with sugar for several hours. The bacon pieces are removed, and the sugar, which becomes bacon-flavored, is whipped into cotton candy.
Bits of candied bacon are sprinkled on top.
The speedway’s cotton candy will have the same texture and airiness as traditional cotton candy. It will be light pink, but not the shockingly bright pink seen in cotton candy at carnivals.
The idea was inspired in part by a TMS marketing slogan, “No Limits Wild Asphalt Circus.”
“I was challenged by the environment and to see what we can do different, something that you can only have at Texas Motor Speedway,” Peña said.
Bacon seems to be all the rage these days in the foodie world, with bacon ice cream, bacon sundaes, bacon milkshakes, bacon cupcakes and bacon cinnamon rolls.
Bacon is among the most popular items served at TMS, whether it’s in salads, on burgers or in breakfast items. The new treat comes as other sporting venues have launched over-the-top snacks. Last spring, the Texas Rangers unveiled a humongous 1-pound, 2-foot-long hot dog that’s smothered with chili, cheese, jalapenos and onions.
“We want to give [racing fans] a reason to go outside the box,” said Marc Mann, director of operations for Levy Restaurants, which provides food service to the speedway. “We feel that after a few people try it, it will become a really popular signature item.”
Peña has experimented with the cotton candy over the past couple of months. He estimates he’s eaten about 25 batches.
At first, Peña said, you taste a bit of salt and smoke from the bacon. Then the sweetness of the cotton candy takes over.
“Let it go for a second,” Peña said, “and you start feeling the different flavors combine in your mouth.”