16. Minnesota State Fair

The Minnesota State Fair is the great equalizer. Everyone exists on the same level, and everyone will overeat. There are no diets here. It’s a given. If it’s not served on a stick, it comes in a cone or a bucket. Eric’s and my culinary histories are abandoned at the State Fair. It is a category unto itself.

People dress for the State Fair to minimize the appearance of food stains. It’s going to happen. And you’re going to step in dung. So, practical footwear is a must. But everyone still looks good at the State Fair. It’s not because they are basically dressed like napkins and wearing washable shoes. It’s because they all emit a glow that comes from within. They are part of the “Great Minnesota Get Together!”

The Minnesota State Fair was incorporated by state statute in 1857 and first held in 1859, one year after Minnesota became a state. It runs for 12 days and is ranked as the second largest state fair in the country by attendance after the Texas State Fair (which runs for 25 days). We believe that we are really the largest based on daily attendance, and we have been also rated the best state fair overall in terms of quality. So there.

I lived near the State Fairgrounds as a kid and could ride my bike there, so I attended frequently. My cousins participated in 4-H (head, heart, hands and health) and the State Fair was where they showed their animals and crafts. The roots of 4-H date back to 1902 with the purpose of instructing rural youth in improved farming and farm-homemaking practices. It was also envisioned as a way to introduce new agricultural technology to the children of immigrants who would then share them with their parents. It is administered under the U.S. Department of Agriculture and from the very beginning had programs for both boys and girls. The 4-H Building at the State Fair is one of many impressive Art Deco buildings, the largest of these being the six-winged Agriculture Horticulture Building.

My cousins and other youth from greater Minnesota (as opposed to from “the Cities”, which is how one refers to the metropolitan area of Minneapolis and St. Paul), would bring their best farm animals, quilts, jams and pies to the State Fair to be judged. These competitions remain my favorite attractions. Well, after the food.

We always enter the State Fairgrounds from the west entrance (adjacent to the University Farm Campus) and start with the animal barns, especially the Cattle, Swine and Poultry Buildings. The barns are noisy and smelly, and the high school-aged exhibitors who have raised their animals from calves, piglets and chicks are cleaning up after them, grooming them, and sometimes sleeping alongside them. A trip to the barns is not complete without seeing the state’s largest boar and the adjacent nursing sow. It’s best to make this stop before you start eating as it is a reminder of what is to follow. But on to the food...!

After decades of eating my way through the State Fair, I have settled on four categories: Seven Essential Food Items; Nice to Haves; Novelties; and finally, New Introductions. The Seven Essentials are indulged in alone, never shared with others, and include, in order of consumption:

1. Poncho Dogs (as opposed to corn dogs or Pronto Pups). These have the best batter-to-dog ratio and have real cornmeal in the batter. They also come in an all-beef dog. Mustard required.

2. Milk Shakes from the Empire Building (the domain of the American Dairy Association). Accept no substitutes, though many other locations offer alternatives. I prefer the classic vanilla, but blueberry is an acceptable back up. And right next to the shake stand is the cooler where each of the finalists in the Princess Kay of the Milky Way competition (only girls from dairy farms qualify) have their heads sculpted out of 90-pound blocks of butter. This tradition is both bizarre and practical, as each finalist goes home with her butter bust and her family can proudly dine on it for months, although these butter busts have been known to show up at community pancake breakfasts. and even once at a contestant’s wedding reception. It’s a classic Minnesota State Fair attraction.

3. Apple cider and/or apple cider frozen pops. Made from Minnesota apples, of course.

4. Lefse with lingonberries from Lynn’s Lefse in the Food Building. Directly inside the south door on the left side.

5. Mouth Trap Cheese Curds from the Food Building. Across from the Lefse stand. Wisconsin claims ownership of these treats, but let’s not quibble. These curds rock. Go with the classic version.

6. Corn on the Cob from the Corn Roast stand at the corner of Dan Patch Avenue (named for the famous Minnesota racing horse) and Nelson Street. You can have it dipped in butter or not, but why wouldn’t you?

7. French Fries (See Chapter 22, for their origin) from the World’s Greatest French Fries stand across from the Midway. Best served with extra salt and catsup (remember, no diet).

These Seven Essentials constitute a complete (if not a completely balanced) meal at
the State Fair. It should be noted that none are considered a sweet (I count shakes as a beverage). If I didn’t eat anything else at the State Fair, I would be content. But why stop there?

The following are offered as perennial (and time tested) Nice to Have enhancements to your State Fair meal:

The Pork Chop on a Stick is something Eric swears by, and I don’t disagree. Cooked over an open flame with special seasoning, it never fails to satisfy.

The Honey Lemonade made with Minnesota Honey is something we both agree on. At the Agriculture Horticulture Building.

Tom Thumb Donuts are a State Fair classic. Tasty little bagfuls. My favorite stand is by Ye Olde Mill (the ride where middle school students go to make out). You can order them without sugar, lightly sugared or full-on sugar-coated goodness. And as with all fried foods, you must go when there is a steady line to ensure fresh-fried-goodness. Eric will eat only one.

The All The Milk You Can Drink stand is pure romanticism and has been around since 1955. Originally the stand was in a tent and a bottomless cup of milk cost ten cents. Today it costs two dollars, but it is still a bargain for the big drinkers.

The Walleye Sandwich (the Minnesota State fish) at Giggles by the lumberjack exhibit area must be tried. Eric doesn’t fully appreciate walleye, but then I don’t fully appreciate catfish.

Every year the new food offerings at the State Fair are detailed and reviewed in the local papers. Eric and I pour over the descriptions and decide, in advance, which will make our list. Some of these are mere Novelties, but we remain ever open to New Introductions. The problem about these two categories is one of stomach capacity. I love the idea of adding new elements to my State Fair dining, but I just can’t keep adding to my daily intake anymore and I refuse to reduce my Essential Seven. This is where the strategic sharing begins.

I love the State Fair and try to go twice each year, once for a day-long tour and once to experience the Fair at night. My friend Lori takes the entire 12-day event as a vacation each year. She is a ribbon winner in the largest potato and longest green bean categories and most importantly she and her daughter compete in Crop Art, where images are rendered in seeds and plant materials grown in Minnesota. Imagine the possibilities. And as a final flourish, she even got engaged at the State Fair and had her wedding pictures taken there. I bet that never happened in Texas. Compared to Lori I am a mere dilettante, but the fair is one of my summer highlights and it is a touchstone tradition for many Minnesotans. In a very real way, a tour of the Creative Activities Building, the Animal Barns, the Agriculture Horticulture Building and the Food Building tells the story of evolving immigrant life in Minnesota and how we are connected to the land.

Fried Okra

Okay. These are not technically a Minnesota State Fair food, but I think they certainly should be. Fried okra are completely in the spirit of the State Fair. I’ve been teased endlessly about unhealthy fried foods from the South, but I maintain the Minnesota State Fair is the world capital of fried foods.

Chris was okra-skeptic when I first met him, but okra couldn’t help but surface in many of the dishes I enjoy, especially a gumbo. I knew I would have to acclimate him to okra, and the entry point was okra fried. He loves it, especially on a salad. I suppose you could say that everything is good when fried, but I think okra really stands out. They are absolutely terrific fried, and their elongated shapes are even enticingly beautiful when halved lengthwise before frying. Fried okra are also extremely satisfying to eat from a bowl, just as a snack. Though I have never tried, I suppose one could even put them on sticks and then fry them, as a respectful nod to the State Fair. Why not? ~Eric

1 1/2 lbs fresh okra, sliced lengthwise
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp each cayenne and black peppers
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt plus more for seasoning
1 large egg
1/4 cup buttermilk
Vegetable oil for frying

1. In a paper lunch bag mix together flour, salt, garlic powder, and peppers

2. In a bowl whisk the egg and buttermilk.

3. Pour 1-inch vegetable oil in heavy skillet and heat to 375 degrees.

4. In batches, dredge okra in egg mixture then toss in paper bag with flour mixture.

5. Place okra in hot oil, but do not crowd or overlap.

6. Cook until golden brown on bottom and then flip over, several at a time, if possible.

7. Once golden brown on both sides, use slotted spoon to remove onto paper towels on a plate.

8. Sprinkle with salt, if needed.

Serves 6-8