The State Fair of Texas has announced semi-finalists for this year’s Big Tex Choice Awards. Naturally, I picked up the phone immediately and called the fair with some questions [a reporter asks].

But this phone call turned into a learning experience for Scaia.

I had a very specific question, and I notified the spokeswoman for the fair ahead of time [this reporter is not a proponent of “gotcha” journalism. At least not at the fair. I did get into a heated discussion with a giraffe once, but that was a separate issue.] that I would want to know why one Kool-Aid pickle-based item would be considered “savory” and another Kool-Aid pickle-based item would be considered “sweet.”

The spokeswoman for the fair explained, quite patiently, that vendors pick their own category.

We talked about how the judges stay impartial. Most of the people who enter the Big Tex Choice Awards are there every year. I’ve covered the announcement of the finalists before, and people who just got picked were already planning what they’d do next year.

But the judges don’t know who entered which dish. That interview was with Karissa Condoianis, who works in the State Fair of Texas’ public relations department. She said that ensures the judges will not favor a dish by someone they know. They also don’t get see any of the dishes until they try them. They just get a brief rundown of what might be in each thing.

Because a reporter asks, I learned the Kool-Aid pickle situation might be one person who wanted to enter in both categories. But she was very clear that she had no idea who had entered anything.

I also thought to myself, “I wouldn’t rule out the idea that two separate Big Tex Choice combatants who’ve never met both figured out that Kool-Aid and pickles apparently go great together.”

After all, Lobster Pops are on the menu this year, and Chicken Fried Lobster was a finalist back in 2015. We simply don’t know. Or did Abel Gonzales decide to retire, open a restaurant and then start planning a comeback?

“A lobster popsicle!” he exclaimed while stirring a cauldron of cream gravy one night. “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.”