Non-Standard Food Recs for the MN State Fair
I can get fried curds and fries anytime
The first two days of the State Fair this year broke attendance records, like by a lot! The people are loving the fair, and I understand why. There is something for everyone - live music, attractions, farm animals, food, vendors galore, rides, and people watching. While it is super crowded and I don’t personally love that, I do love most things about this event that makes Minnesotans so proud.
Last year, I gave a complete rundown on fair hacks and what my husband and I ate, which you can read here. This year, I’m going to focus on the parts of the fair that are standard to my own fair experience, that are not so common for the rest of the fair enthusiasts.
Honestly, Skip the Predictable Fair Foods
This might be a controversial take, but you can skip the fried cheese curds and fries. You can drop a pin at any American style restaurant and get a decent basket of french fries and cheese curds off the appetizer menu. I know it’s special and perhaps a tradition to get the regular foot long hot dog or corndog (or Pronto Pup) or fried fair foods, but maybe one year you can shake it up and focus your food attention at the fair elsewhere!
My approach to the fair is pretty loosey goosey. I have things I want to do/see/eat, but honestly if the line is too long, I will likely skip it. The hype will not get me! I know that that thing will probably be at the fair next year and if I really miss it, I can make sure to prioritize it then. This view is different from how I usually am with experiences, but it makes for a fun time that is focused on doing what feels easy. It also helps that I go with my husband who also has the same approach.
I usually throw in a classic fair food or two, but often that changes from year to year, and then I stack my eating time with things I normally can’t get at my neighborhood pub. We had a Pronto Pup and a twist cone from the Dairy building, which have become fair classics in our household. This year we also gave up was Sweet Martha’s. It’s a standard at the MN State Fair - get a bucket of cookies and eat them on the way out of the fair or with milk from the all you can drink milk stand. But with the owner being a major Trump donor, I just couldn’t do it this time.
What we did eat (the key is to share everything so you can taste more things!) was:
Breakfast gnocchi @ Blue Barn - 3/10. Good concept but the pesto was really runny and there were WAY too many scrambled eggs.
Chicken in a waffle @ Blue Barn - 8/10. Always a little hard to eat but really yummy chicken poppers smothered in gravy in a waffle cone!
Swedish egg coffee @ Salem Lutheran Church Dining Hall - 10/10. This is a non-negotiable standard for an early morning at the fair.
Reuben bites @ O’Garas - 9/10. All the flavors of a reuben sandwich deep fried, served with a packet of thousand island dressing for dipping.
Galabao @ Union Hmong Kitchen - 7/10. We missed out on these last year, and I was pleased with how big they were, but the flavors inside the bun were quite mild. The sauce it was served with was a standout though!
Lemonade & Root beer - 9/10. My husband and I don’t really drink anymore so these took the place of a cold beer we would have had a few years ago!
Twist cone @ Dairy Building - 10/10. Nothing like a soft serve cone on a day with a heat warning!
Peaches and cream + peach kombucha @ The Produce Exchange - 8/10. Having a fresh piece of fruit is refreshing in the midst of a hot day and lots of fried foods.
Giant egg roll on a stick @ Que Viet - 10/10. The best bite of my day last year and this year. It’s so light and crunchy, unlike any egg roll I’ve had before.
Pronto pup - 6/10. I think I would have liked this more if I wasn’t so hot. I only wanted to eat cold food at this point. The ratio of breading to hotdog was perfect though so maybe I’m a Pronto Pup fan?
Chile Mango Whip @ Tasti Whip - 10/10. This was a new state fair food and I’ll get it every year. The spice from the Tajin and tamarind flavor was contrasted by the cool creaminess of the mango soft serve!
We used the app MN on a Stick to save foods leading up to the fair and I highly recommend downloading this if you plan to go. It shows you a map of all the foods and attractions you saved, and has GPS so it can tell you how far away you are from things. We pre-saved several food items that we didn’t end up getting for one reason or another, including:
Walking Shepherd’s Pie @ O’Gara’s
Anything @ The Perfect Pickle (big pickle or deep fried pickles)
Deep fried Halloumi Cheese @ Holy Land
Sambusa @ Afro Deli
Corn on the Cob @ Corn Roast
Frozen Cider Pop @ Minnesota Apples in the Horticulture Building
Vietnamese Iced Coffee @ Que Viet
If you’re looking to have a fair outing that is tailored to just you, it doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s dream fair experience!
Audrey’s Cookbooks Updates
Over the weekend we had our first Cookbook Club! Everyone brought a dish from whatever cookbook they wanted, and I was able to practice my hosting skills. Despite not everyone knowing one another, there was shared laughter, audible “mMMmms” and compliments, and celebrations for the winner of a card game. It warmed my heart and made me so excited for more of these to come!
Our next cookbook club is September 7th. It’s free, BYODish and cookbook, and is taking place in a Minneapolis public park. Check out more info here.
We have decided to keep our GoFundMe open for the foreseeable future so that we are able to keep accepting donations should more come into the fundraiser.
We are applying to markets for the fall so please let us know where you’d like to find us. The first round of inventory is getting ordered soon and I’m so excited but also a little scared! This whole process has been one big “IDK let’s just try it” and it’s nerve-wracking and lonely while being thrilling and affirming.
Things I Like
Grilling all my CSA veggies with just a coat of olive oil and some salt. Fridge them for charred smoky goodness all week long.
Candy eyeball sprinkles in preparation for spooky season
I’ve been eyeing deep chocolate brown / moody colored wrapping paper for the holiday season! Is dark brown over as a color yet or are we just getting started?
Thrifting men’s button up shirts for fall
Prepping and dreaming up ideas for handmade holiday gifts: crocheted food toys (per usual), air dry clay floral frogs, herbed salt, spiced nuts, granola, crocheted bags, and trivets and coasters.
May your week be gentle and may you eat well. 🌲🥣
Fun fair day ! Do you know about our cookbook swap in October?
I went a decade ago and still remember the food! 👍