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When going to the MN State Fair for the sole purpose of scrumptious vittles, it’s important to remember one thing above all else: you are not at a carnival. Repeat after me: I am not at a carnival. I will be adventurous, maybe even mindful. And above all, I will not eat ’til purge state.

No, the MN State Fair isn’t some humdrum, run-of-the-mill, townsie carny affair where the corn dog grease is “aged to perfection” and “organic” and “local” are words lost inside the echoes of a rickety ferris wheel. The MN State Fair is different. Whether you’re bent on eating local fare or have dietary restrictions, you don’t have to compromise your food convictions to get a taste of what the fair has to offer. Upon my recent – the first weekend of the State Fair – I managed to stay vegetarian (err…pescetarian) and even found something to satisfy my cousin who was on a raw food diet.

Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair

Yes, the Fair has staples, classic veterans of the American festival menu. These things include – but are not limited to – cheese curds, the aforementioned corn dogs, funnel cakes, mini doughnuts – not exactly allies of the health conscious. But a trip to the State Fair needn’t send you into a sugar/carb coma. Instead, it can be a sojourn into the exotic, a familiar jaunt with the local or a surprise encounter with a gamut of new pairings.

I’m not saying don’t indulge in a deep fried snack or two – after all visiting the State Fair is a time for taste bud gratification and last-minute summer gluttony – but before you stuff yourself to the limit with the traditional Fair fare, make sure you save room for food stands from your favorite local restaurants, nosheries, bistros and cafe carts – because – believe me – they’re there.

Here are a few booths (veg and non-veg alike) that you should definitely keep your eye out for. And since trying to explain where exactly the location of where they all are would require the use of several diagrams, I’ll just list them and you’ll have to scout around to find them. Call it a State Fair foodie scavenger hunt…OR you could go to the MN State Fair’s website and use the Fair Food Finder but what’s the fun in that?!

Minnesota Farmers Coffee Union – Though hot coffee might be the last thing on your mind during the hot ‘n’ humid days of the Fair, frozen mocha coffee on a stick ($5.25) might be just the jolt of caffeine your body needs to last the whole day through.

Fish and Chips – Offering up salmon and shrimp on a stick to the more decadent lobster and scallops on a stick, not to mention clam strips and fried oysters. It’s a seafood lovers heaven and a full of healthy options.

Midtown Global Market Produce Exchange – Finding a fresh fruit stand at a fair is kind of like finding a needle in a haystack – rare and rewarding. Bite into a delicious juicy peach ($3) or snatch up a container of ripe cherries. ($6).

Chocolate Covered Jalapenos

Andres Watermelon – There’s a million reasons why you should make a stop at Andres Watermelon – Chocolate Watermelon on-a-stick, veggie platters – with dip – passion fruit coolers and, my favorite, the spicy meets sweet confectionery goodness Chocolate Covered Jalapeño Peppers ($6.50), a new food gracing the 2011 Fair.

Spring Grove Soda Pop – Forget the common soda drink varieties and try this new State Fair item: old fashion style bottle soda pop made with real cane sugar and featuring delicious, yet classic flavors cream soda, lemon sour, creamy orange and – my favorite – black cherry ($3).

Minneapple Pie –Who can resist an American favorite – the hot apple pie – especially when it’s baked up fresh by local faves Minne’s Diner in Rogers, MN? Add a scoop of vanilla or cinnamon ice cream for a taste that’s divine. Deep fried food at its best.

Minneapple Pie

Harry Singh’s Carribbean Restaurant – Try the Jamaican Jerk Fries new to the Fair this year, or a veggie Trinidadian “doubles” (bara bread stuffed with chick peas, hot sauce and chutney). But be advised: just like the Eat Street hideaway, when Harry Singh’s does spicy, he’s out to burn.

San Felipe Tacos – Fulfill your taco cravings with a Fish Tacos (fried tilapia, shredded cabbage, red onion, sauce and salsa) or a Carnitas Asian Fusion Taco (pork carniats, cucumber, jalapeño, red pepper and spicy Asian sauces) ($6) and finish it off with a Cheesecake Xango (a deep fried cheesecake rolled in cinnamon and sugar and stuffed inside a tortilla).

Salty Tart – They always had me at bread; they stole my heart with coconut macaroons ($5).

Big Fat Bacon – I won’t even try to pass this one off as “healthy” but for a bacon connoisseur this massive 1/3 pound slice of bacon is a must-have show-stopper.

Bacon-on-a-Stick

My Sausage Sister and Me – These local “hearty-born sausage sisters of good German stock” know their sausage. Try the award-winning Puff Daddy-on-a-Stick (Asian-inspired sausage and Thai One On wrapped in a puff pastry dough and served with spicy Thai Peanut Sauce) or the Jerk-on-a-Stick (YaYa Jamaican sausage wrapped in dough and served with Jerk BBQ Sauce).

Middle East Bakery – got a hankerin’ for Greek? Hit up MEB’s for reuben pocket sandwiches, falafel wraps and gyros or Holy Land Deli for the Egyptian veg staple, Coushari Rice with Lentil, Halumi cheese kabobs and other Holy Land treats.

El Sol Mexican Foods – Nothing says summer like a freshing Mexican Horchata. Downside: you may just have Vampire Weekend’s “Horchata” hopelessly stuck in your head for the rest of the day.

French Meadow Bakery & Cafe – Just like the Uptown organic hub, FMB’s booth offers up a delicious menu faves like Stuffed French Toast, Grilled Rachels, scones and cookies, lattes and cappuccinos, not to mention gluten-free sweets and savories.

MN Wine Country – Revel in some of the tastiest MN-made wines as you enjoy homemade ice cream and sausages made from MN wine.

Happy eating!

Minnesota State Fair, August 25 – September 5^th

MN State Fair Grounds 1265 N. Snelling Ave. N., St. Paul

Admission: $12 adults, $10 kids

With the end of summer drawing near and school just around the corner, a Minnesota State Fair trip is on many people’s minds right now.  The Minnesota State Fair is in it’s last weekend, so if you haven’t gone, you have until Monday!

The fair offers a variety of things to do and many are free, but the one attraction that gets everyone, is the food!

When you go, you must try the Fudge Puppies, which are chocolate covered Belgian waffles on a stick, then topped with whipped cream and sprinkles.  An old favorite, are the Luigi Fries; these fries are bread sticks covered with Italian red sauce with traditional pizza toppings.  Don’t forget to buy a refreshing beverage to wash everything down -- a freshly-squeezed lemonade perhaps?                                                                                                                              

If you enjoy rides and games, head to the Mighty Midway.  If you go Monday, September 6, all rides are reduced one ticket!  The Mighty Midway has 9 new rides this year:  Avalanche, Hard Rock, Magic Maze Glass House, Magnum, Rock-It and Windstorm.  Wind Storm is an amusement park-size roller coaster with a 30-foot drop that has sharp twists and turns that may make your stomach do a flip.

If your on a time crunch, definitely try to plan ahead on what to see/do/eat; it can get overwhelming with the large crowds.  Parking at the fair can get crowded, and expensive.  Check out the shuttles where you can park and ride for FREE!

Check out my fair fun and suggestions in this video:

So, rally up your friends and family (a little cash too) and head to the Minnesota State Fair!

Minnesota State Fair

1265 Snelling Avenue North

Saint Paul, MN 55108

Cost:  Adults, $11; Seniors, $9; Kids $8; under 5, FREE

Hours:  6am -- midnight, but some building do open later and close earlier, so check that out here

Minnesota State Fair

As summer nears it’s devastating end, I can’t help but feeling a sense of strange melancholy, a nostalgic twinge of anxiety, trying to fill my days with as much adventure, bliss and incantation as possible before the chilly zephyr strikes again. For some, this fleeting emotion leads to hours upon hours at the beach soaking up the last of nature’s Vitamin D. For others, it’s late-night biking and cocktail sipping patio laziness. But for so many Minnesotans late August/early September can only mean one thing: a trip to the Minnesota State Fair.

It’s hard not to be just the slightest bit curious as to why the Fair attracts so much attention (why last year alone crowd readings were in the 1,700,000′s). Is it the people watching? The chance to see eclectic, oddly paired live musicians – “Weird Al” Yankovic and Brandi Carlile, anyone? Is it the surprising exhilaration a ride on the Gondola Wheel brings? The awe of witnessing the miracle birth of a baby calf? Some say it’s all about the food, and as official foodie I may just have to agree. Where else can one find such a seamless juxtaposition of old fair favorites and creative taste experiments. The Minnesota State Fair might just be nonpareil when it comes to “feasts on a stick.”

Since opening last Thursday, news of the Fair’s newest array of libations and comestibles is definitely abuzz and everyone’s a critic. This year, the State Fair has brought in a few familiar names in Twin Cities dining including vendor treats from Minneapolis’ Midtown Global Market and French Meadow, brats from Northeast’s legendary Kramarczuk, nosh from the Green Mill and more.

The copious menu of “au courant” fare can seem daunting to a Fair virgin- even us veterans can get bewildered – but don’t get defeated just yet. One trick to keeping Fair food tasting within budget and nausea-free is to shop around. Take at least one good swoop around the fairgrounds before deciding on which dishes to consume and don’t be afraid to indulge your adventurous side.

To whet your appetite, here’s a pint-sized preview of new Fair delectables – the yummy, the eye-brow raising and the just plain gruesome.

Deep Fried Bologna ($5) Netterfield Food Court – disguising itself as a crescent-shaped corn dog, this deep fried wonder is a a perfect example of a twist on a classic Fair favorite.

Photo by Rachel Hutton

Corndog Pizza ($4) Pizza Shoppe – I can’t help but think this sounds like an idea someone had after a few too many cocktails. A junk-food lover’s delight or a greasy prelude to indigestion? You be the judge.

Fried Pigs Ears ($5) Famous Dave’s BBQ – an acquired taste?

Photo by Rachel Hutton

Stuffed French Toast Tots ($5) French Meadow – spongy French toast bites dusted with powdered sugar and filled with melted Swiss and Parmesan cheese. Um, yum!

Grilled Marshmallow Chocolate & Banana Sandwich ($4) Moe & Joes Coffee – warm bananas, chocolate syrup and marshmallow nestled inside a griddled sandwich. Be prepared for instant sugar comatose. Though my guess is it’s well worth it.

Other honorable mentions include Granny’s Cheesecake & More’s Deep-Fried Strawberry Shortcake ($7), O’Gara’s Sweet Potato Tots ($5), Chinatown Minn’s Tempura-battered Szechuan Shrimp ($6), Holy Land’s homemade Baklava ($2), My Sausage Sister & Me’s Jalapeño Poppers ($5) and Manny’s Tortas made-to-order virgin Piña Colada served in a hollowed-out pineapple ($7).

Stay tuned for next week’s “Fair in Review” post where I take my “glutton for punishment” appetite to the fair grounds for a taste test.

The Minnesota State Fair runs through Labor Day, September 6^th and is located at 1265 Snelling Ave. N., St. Paul.

Good morning everyone!  The651 is back with our wacky trivia question.  The first person to email stacy@capcitypartnership.com the correct answer wins, a FACES mears park gift card!  FACES mears park is one of Lowertown’s newest restaurants; they use local, organic, and sustainably farmed ingredients to produce their food.

For today’s question, please tell me what the meaning is behind these words.  Hint:  they all have to do with Saint Paul!

1)  Byki – a FREE language learning tool offered online at the Saint Paul Public Library

2)  Stone Soup Feeds the World -A new SteppingStone Theatre production opening October 22nd.

3) Asian Chicken Class – a new poultry judging contest with Asian chicken breeds at the Minnesota State Fair.

4)  Markisa – An Orangutan at Como Zoo who recently had a soap named after her.

GOOD LUCK!

Congrats to Matt!  He will soon be enjoying a dining experience at FACES mears park.

The Asian Chicken Class was probably the most confusing one for many, but I hope everyone had fun guessing anyway.

Thank you for being a fan of the651.com! See you next Thursday at 9 am.

Although I’ve been battling an uber-busy schedule this week, I still managed to find the time to squeak in a power-tour of the State Fair. With one of my l’etoile magazine contributors in tow, we hit up the great Minnesota get-together this

Mike Rosen / State Fair 2009

past Wednesday armed with enough cash to eat our way into food coma status, and the sheer will to do just that.

Our first stop was the Miracle of Birth Barn, where we pawed adorable little horses and lambs, and witnessed a baby pig come into the world — a world that was filled with screeching humans of course, as is the tradition at the MOB barn. Immediately following (and after a good hand-washing) we indulged in a grilled pork chop on a stick. Ironic? Yes. Intentionally so? No, but in retrospect, perhaps.

Our goal was to eat our way to the Fine Arts Building and back in the shortest span of time possible — I did after all have tickets to the Sample Circuit later that evening (more food, yes). With quick stops for salt water taffy, cheese curds, “Frickles” (fried pickles),  a pronto pup, bacon on a stick, and mini-donuts we finally arrived at our destination.

Judy Westergard / State Fair 2009

The Fine Arts Building at the State Fair is always a treat. Works by hundreds of artists of all mediums and styles adorn the walls of this sprawling building where one can easily lose track of time wandering. The art building, while definitely a major asset to the Fair, always has the power to really remind me that yes, we are actually living in the Midwest. I’m a contemporary art lover, most definitely, and I’ve never been one to particularly appreciate a hunting montage painted in oils or a portrait of a Loon. It’s not that the artists aren’t talented, the style is just not my thing. But when you step foot in the Fine Arts Building, it’s clear that there are hundreds of Minnesota artists who are really into it, and that the general public is even more into it.

While the show does a good job of balancing mediums, and there are even a large number of contemporary pieces on display, the artwork that really captures the hearts of fair-goers (and art show judges) is definitely the locally focused stuff. Painted landscapes, nature photography, State Fair-related ceramics, and yes, even hunting art can be viewed and likewise appreciated for what it is — Minnesota grown art.

So, if you haven’t yet braved the wilds of the State Fair this year, we suggest you step to it — there are only a few days left — but be sure to take a spin through the Fine Arts Building, and embrace our legacy as the purveyors of the finest cabin art in the country. Where else can you eat bacon on a stick and look at fine art at the same time, after all?

Extra Extra: The Ordway at the Minnesota State Fair

Visit Ordway’s booth at the Minnesota State Fair, located in the Merchandise Mart, and take advantage of Fair-only special offers! Tickets for all Ordway shows are on sale only at the Fair until Ordway’s public on-sale Sun., Sept. 13th. Tickets for Little House on the Prairie The Musical with Melissa Gilbert are on sale now!

The State Fair continues this weekend, as does its heavy-hitting classic rock-infused music lineup of REO Speedwagon, STYX, and local cover band all-stars E.L.nO. This weekend there’s also good old-fashioned fun when Garrison Keillor takes A Prairie Home Companion to the Grandstand and ventriloquist Jeff Dunham brings a retro act to the now.

Garrison Keillor

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE (continue reading…)

By now all die-hard Minnesota State Fair fans have been to the fair at least once. But have you been to the Eco Experience in the Progress Center at Cosgrove St. and Randall Ave.? This is the first year I’ve ventured so far from the midway and endless food booths, and now I’m wishing I had done so earlier. It’s just a quick walk, but feels a world away.

First, there’s the Net Zero Eco House, which is ridiculously impressive and beautiful. Not only is it designed to produce the energy it uses with its three dozen solar panels, it also houses energy-efficient appliances and funky details like a kitchen countertop made locally from crushed walnut shells. The garage’s roof is covered in grass and the yard uses native landscaping and a rain garden so that it’s friendly to wildlife and doesn’t need toxic pesticides or fertilizers. As we refinish the basement in my own house, I’m inspired to investigate more green remodeling options.

Before popping into the Eco House, I stopped at the Countryside Market for a caprese salad on a stick—wildly tasty tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella drizzled with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Naturally, the tomatoes and basil were supplied by a local farm. (Ironic how we don’t get much local food at the fair, given that much of the fair celebrates farm life!) As much as I love my pronto pups at fair time, the hot dog I’d eaten earlier didn’t compare to the natural juiciness and flavor of these tomatoes.

Wandering through the rest of the Eco Experience building, I couldn’t help but feel proud of all the green options available to Minnesotans. There’s an opportunity to sign up for wind power, to learn about green jobs, electric cars, wind/solar power, and composting. This part of the fair is educational and fascinating, without being pretentious. Now the next step: what to do with all this newfound, eco-savvy, know-how?

At The Current we try to provide a soundtrack for your life wherever you are and we love to help you discover a new fave artist for yourself, and there’s a few giant stuffed animals hidden in this mix! Enjoy this celebration of the State in music and seeya at The Fair!

The Pines – Heart And Bones LISTEN NOW

Haley Bonar – Big Star LISTEN NOW

Brother Ali – The Believers feat. Slug LISTEN NOW

The Orange Mighty Trio – Walz of the Traffic Patterns LISTEN NOW

Low – Just Stand Back LISTEN NOW

The Replacements – Merry Go Round LISTEN NOW

Caroline Smith and the Good Night Sleeps – Closing the Doors LISTEN NOW

Prince – Uptown LISTEN NOW

Bob Dylan – Highway 61 Revisited LISTEN NOW

Semisonic – Sculpture Garden LISTEN NOW

The 757′s – Mary Lucia LISTEN NOW

You can see and hear Mark Wheat live from the State Fair every weekday from 6:00 – 10:00pm on 89.3 The Current. Listen to Mark’s playlist, along with playlists from Classical Minnesota Public Radio’s Bill Morelock and Radio Heartland’s Dale Connelly on the Minnesota Public Radio State Fair Page.

Can you smell it? Can you feel it? It is State Fair time y’all. Hey-Ho let’s go!

The Family Fair Stage at Baldwin Park offers daily kid friendly entertainment. The Monster Shop Bump n’ with The BC Characters (shows daily at 12:30, 4, and 6) is a hip-hop troupe that performs acrobatic dance and features life size Muppets-ish characters. Helicopter back spins and Fuzzy Wuzzy? Count me in. Also performing daily is Sean Emery (shows at 1:30 pm and 5pm), a juggling unicyclist who’s act is filled with the sort of shticky humor that makes kids giggle and squirm.

Probably the best attraction for a Citidiot (a City Idiot) like me is The Little Farm Hands exhibit, which is a crash course in agriculture for urban families. The hands-on exhibit provides a mock farm for children ages 3-12 to play in and experience real farm chores. There are animal barns, tractors, garden plots, apple orchard, and a grocery store for the kids to roll up their sleeves and get to it.

If you prefer your family entertainment a little spicier, head on over to the X Zone (located on Murphy Avenue and Underwood Street). 3rd Lair, the legendary Twin Cities skate park, hosts a whirling dervish of gnarly action. Skateboarders, in-line skaters, and BMX riders perform tricks daily (11am, 12:30, 2:30, 3:30, and 6:30). There is also a battle of the bands in the X Zone that will offer your little head banger a chance to burn off some of the sugar that surely will be running through the veins.

The North Woods (located just east of Little Farm Hands on Cooper) offers up daily activities that fill the deep-fried Fair air with sawdust and sweat. Take a break from stuffing your face and watch some grizzled dudes partake in some kick-ass timber events. These world class foresters cut, climb, grapple, and buzz saw through a whole course of wood splittin’ games.

Want more cowbell? Shenaniguns! is a Wild West comedy show that features some cowboy screw ball antics in a performance that is family friendly.

Adventure Park offers kids a wide array of activities that range from The Butterfly House, Carousel, spooky Haunted House, River Raft Ride, Sky ride, and the old stand-by, the Space Tower. Separate tickets need to be purchased for each and tickets can be bought near the entrance to the attraction.

And finally, there are the classics: The butter heads, the fattest pig, the giant slide, machinery hill, the Bazaar, the bucket of Sweet Martha’s cookies, roasted corn, the Midway carnies, watching a sheep get shaved (Don’t laugh. I’m from the city. It’s amazing what those farm kids can do), and of course, people watching.

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!