The651.com

While planning my upcoming trips (plural!) to the Minnesota State Fair, I was thrilled to realize that (although tasty and tempting), a fair adventure doesn’t have to be ALL about fried things on a stick. I definitely plan to attend the Minnesota Cooks events Sept. 1, when nearby farmers and chefs from restaurants all over the Twin Cities will pair up to create seven 45-minute cooking shows using Minnesota-grown ingredients.

JD Fratzke, executive chef at St. Paul's The Strip Club

Starting at 9 a.m. and running until 5 p.m. next Tuesday, you can watch chefs from Common Roots Café, Red Stag Supper Club, The Craftsman, Birchwood Café, The Strip Club, Trotters Café, Spoonriver, and others, as they create dishes like grilled pork loin with heirloom tomatoes, polenta with smokey black eyed peas, grilled lamb, and local corn grits with sweet corn, tomatoes, and tarragon. Need your taste buds ask for more?

Along with delicious, local eats, you can also learn about sustainable, green living at the Eco Experience Sustainability Stage. Every day at the fair, there is programming at this stage running from 9:30 a.m. until after 6 p.m. Check out topics like how to reduce your carbon footprint, solar on a budget, rain gardens, bike commuting, and keeping your home clean and green. Download a PDF of the schedule here.

See you at the fair!