Fried Coke: Only in America

While hotdogs, chicken nuggets, and bubble gum may be more popular and widely consumed, there is another popular American snack that contains more calories than the rest of the other 3 mentioned combined – Fried Coke!

Fried Coke – ONLY IN AMERICA!

Fried Coke is a frozen Coca-Cola-flavoured batter that is deep-fried and then topped with Coca-Cola syrup, whipped cream, cinnamon sugar, and a cherry. It was introduced by inventor Abel Gonzales, Jr., who was a 45-year-old computer analyst from Texas, at the 2006 State Fair of Texas. The concoction proved very popular in Texas, selling 10,000 cups in the first two weeks. Fried Coke is estimated to have 830 calories per cup, which means it is not the kind of snack you can have too much of!

Throughout my time in New York City, I saw frozen Coke being sold in many restaurants and even in ice cream parlours, so it is certainly popular enough to be included on the menus – despite its infamous calorific reputation! Sometimes, ice cream can be added to the snack, which adds further coldness to the taste, as well as further flavour!

But in true memory of the place in which it was invented, it is at state fairs and street carnivals where the Fried Coke phenomenon really hits its stride. Those who were watching their figure clearly wouldn’t indulge, but I saw many young people enjoying their fried Coke as they hang around outside cafés throughout Manhattan and even in Harlem. However, I have since learned that many people who live in the US have not even heard of Fried Coke before, let alone indulged in it, so perhaps it is not quite as quintessential as we Europeans believe. What is without question, though, is that someone, somewhere in the US, had the gall to dream up this kind of calorific experience.