Fair Fun

Last August, my first back in Minnesota, I was unable to attend the State Fair, the beloved Great Minnesota Get-Together. The timing of this event is really not user-friendly. If it were up to me I would never schedule the fair to include a holiday weekend.

Scheduling aside, I was intent on attending this year. I was also adamant that Jack attend. A life-long Minnesotan who's never been to the fair? I'm not sure one can legitimately use that moniker until one has eaten deep-fried-something-on-a-stick while perusing acres of farm animals without getting nauseous. I had a little trouble with the last part.

There's a reason they say no food or beverages in the Miracle of Birth building. It's definitely for your own good. Watching a calf come into the world may be amazing, but it's best done on an empty stomach. And possibly from a great distance. I suggest placing monitors outside the building. [Insert joke about irony of small town girl with zero farm sense here.]

But who can resist adorable babies like this two day old lamb? Kinda makes me wish I had some farm sense.

Chris, still in his inaugural year, can now call himself a true Minnesotan if he chooses (and who wouldn't?). Melissa - 10+ year Minneapolis resident and frequent fair-goer - rounded out the group.

Once through the gates, our goal was clear. FOOD. We made a beeline for the deep-friend twinkies and corn fritters (after a quick detour for a turkey leg and beer).


Next stop, food building, where I was told that I "must be Norwegian" because I asked for my lefse with butter and white sugar. Apparently, the Swedes prefer brown sugar and newbies go for lingonberries and other exotic toppings. Huh. Seems like the food version of blasphemy if you ask me.

We mostly wandered and ate and drank. And ate. And then I felt sick. I blame the animals, but some might say it was the cheese curds. Or the BeerGarita. Beer + margarita mix. Not recommended. Don't believe the "best of the fair" propaganda. Best = oddest. Though I suppose if you really enjoy sweet drinks the BeerGarita might be for you.

Here, a list of everything we consumed (most of it shared). Mind you, most of this was consumed in a two-hour period.

Turkey leg (small but tasty)
Beer (always recommended)
Deep-fried twinkie (yummy but not up to Chris' standard)
Corn fritters (delicious, but may seem too healthy for some)
Cheese curds
Gyro (stingy on the meat)
Nachos (freshly made guac was good, but otherwise kind of a waste of stomach space)
BeerGarita (don't do it)
...nausea set in...
Deep-fried reese's peanut butter cups (could've been more melted inside)

I think that's it! There was so much more I would've tried. I really wanted the chocolate-covered bacon, although I heard it wasn't nearly as good (cold bacon? ew!) as the hype suggests.

Next year's fair seems so far away...maybe I'll try to make it back before the fair ends. There's still so much more to see and eat!