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Author: Dale Van Every – Examiner.Com
As the “12 Days of Fun” that herald summer’s end—the Minnesota State Fair—approaches, it is again time to start thinking about the appropriate mix of culinary delights one will ingest at this year’s festival of foodstuffs. Failure to plan may result in serious gastrointestinal madness.
An awareness of the ever-growing array of cuisine will allow the avid fair-goer to adjust their intake accordingly.
So what’s the new 2009 fair fare? Topping the list, at least in terms of elegant titles: Peach-Glazed Pig Cheeks. Famous Dave’s (Dan Patch Ave & Liggett St.) marinates these pork cheeks in garlic, herbs & spices and honey, serving them, yes, on a stick grilled with peach-chipotle glaze. Yum. Also pork-related, Spam Burgers (on Cosgrove St. across from the Creative Activities Bldg.) has added the open-faced grilled spam sandwich and the breakfast spam sandwich.
For your potato fix, check out the Tornado Potato (spiral-cut tater on-a-stick) at Sunny’s Spiral Potatoes in the Food Building, or the Fry Dog (french-fry encrusted deep-fried hot dog on-a-stick !) at the Blue Moon Dine-In Theatre (Carnes and Chambers Streets). Those can eaten either before or after the Pot Roast Sundae (a scoop of mashed potatoes covered with roast beef, gravy, corn and a cherry tomato) at Main Street Butcher Block (corner of Dan Patch and Liggett).
Dessert? Plenty new from which to choose: Beignets (New Orleans style sweet fried dough) at Ragin’ Cajun (inside The Garden), Krumkakke or Deep-Fried Norwegian Banana Split, both new at Ole and Lena’s (Liggett at Carnes).
Other new foods at the 2009 Minnesota State Fair:
* Brat Burger (Ball Park Cafe)
* Fiddlestix (Mighty Midway)
* Foot-Long Dessert Pizza (Green Mill)
* Funnel Cake Fries (Apple Lil’s)
* Sunfish (Giggles Campfire Grill)
* Swedish Meatball & Gravy (Lynn’s Lefse)
There will also be several new food vendors at this year’s fair, including Arctic Island Slushies, Harry Singh’s Carribean Restaurant, and Texas Steak Out. Check out the complete list of fair food and locations here, and don’t forget the fair food rule: grease-sugar-milk-repeat. See you at the fair!
The 2009 Minnesota State Fair opens at 6:00 a.m., Thursday, August 27th and closes at 10:00 p.m. Monday, September 7th (Labor Day). As it approaches, check back here for further essential in-fair-mation!
For more info: Minnesota State Fair Website
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