Community Corner

Deep-Fried Kool-Aid Comes to Lexington

In which we attempt to understand a slightly disturbing fair food.

The cackle should have been the first clue (or third, if we’re being honest).

Here was a man trading dollars for deep-friend Snickers, Oreos and Klondike bars, and yet he couldn’t help but laugh at the order: Deep-fried Kool-Aid … and two waters.

“Twelve bucks,” he said, smirking. Then pulled out a plastic container filled about halfway with a batter that looked like it could either make pancakes or relieve upset stomachs. Alas, it did neither.

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Few minutes later, he was back with a basket of pinkish balls that could have passed for a half-dozen donut holes. Dusted with powdered sugar, they looked more like beignets, really, but we won’t go there since the occasion was America’s birthday.

We had dropped by the Lexington Lions Club’s annual Fourth of July Carnival before the fireworks on Wednesday, July 3. A few rides, lemonade and maybe something fried were part of the plan, but then the sign for fried Kool-Aid caught our eyes the way an eclipse does – you know, when smarter people and science tell you not to look but you just can’t help yourself.

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The Internet exploded with news of deep-fried Kool-Aid as a “fair food sensation” in Summer 2011. I don’t know how long it’s been available at the Lexington Lions Club’s Fourth of July Carnival, but I know this year was the first time I noticed it.

So maybe we’re a little late to the game on this one. But maybe that’s not a bad thing.  

According to Gawker—because of course they would know this—the deep-fried Kool-Aid ball was apparently invented by Charlie Boghosian, and are made from a batter containing flour, water and Kool-Aid. 

In various reports, Boghosian likens his fried Kool-Aid balls to donut holes. Which might be a fitting comparison, since his inspiration for the greasy tart treat came from childhood.

Reports the Huffington Post, “Boghosian loved drinking Kool-Aid when growing up so he thought, ‘why not fry it and see what happens.’”

Check out the video above, from ABC News, to see Boghosian fry up a batch.

What happens is something that looks like a donut hole, smells like a donut hole, but is most definitely not a donut hole.

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Settling in on the hill, where we’d staked out a spot to watch the fireworks, we bit into the Kool-Aid balls. Still warm and very sticky, the slightly crisp pink exterior pulled away to revel a deep red doughy inside.

They were, in two words, pretty gross.

Increasingly tart as they grew colder, the deep-fried Kool-Aid balls were by turns unflavored by the drink mix and completely flavored by the sugary powder. We think they were cherry-flavored, but saying that’s with only about 73 percent certainty.

Our advice: If you’re jonesing for deep-fried ridiculousity, stick with the Snickers. Rumor has it, they’re guaranteed to satisfy. 


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