A ‘fair’ piece of food at the Minnesota State Fair - Post Bulletin

There are only a few days left until the Great Minnesota Get-Together and the excitement and anticipation are great.

Are you excited to see the horses, piglets, calves and rabbits? And would you like to try out all the rides?

No. It’s the food that draws thousands of fairgoers for 12 days. Fair food, especially the new stuff, has been in the news in recent weeks, like sweet corn-cola floats, deep-fried ranch dressing and PB bacon cakes.

Who even thinks of something like that?

For long-time fairgoers (me), some of these new tastes and textures just aren’t right. Give us the old classics, the tried and true, on a skewer or deep fried, that have satisfied our fairground food cravings for years.

Whether you’re a first-timer, a regular, or a once-in-10-year visitor, there are some dishes you can’t miss. True, some have been around for a long time – almost as long as the fair itself. Before you head out, though, get a map of the different food stalls online. With 300 vendors, it’s helpful and will help you get your bearings. Another tip: pace yourself. Here are some you can’t miss:

It wouldn’t be a fair without Tom Thumb Donuts – fresh, hot and sugared from the fryer. A real classic that was invented and first sold here in 1949.
Roast corn has been around for at least 30 years, and nearly every second person you see is working on a large, buttered corn cob. It’s said to be the best at the fair. It sells well – last year more than 250,000 cobs were consumed.
Pronto Pups, a “must-try.” But wait! There are people who would rather have a corn dog. The difference? Corn dogs are coated in a slightly sweet cornbread batter, while Pronto Pups have a pancake batter coating. Do a taste test. However, if you want more of a regular hot dog, go to Speedy’s Foot Long. They have all the hot dog fixings and like the others, they’ve been around for decades.
Mouth Trap Cheese Curds, another must-have. Whatever you think about fried cheese curds, these from Ellsworth Creamery are one of the best sellers at the fair. Imagine 65,000 pounds of curds. That’s what these guys are selling.
Fresh French fries, served piping hot in a distinctive red and yellow container. You’ll see almost – but not quite – as many of these as Sweet Martha’s Cookie containers.
Who would have thought that a pork chop on a stick would sell as well as Peterson’s? You need a dose of protein – here it is. It’s also one of the more conventional foods you’ll find.
And speaking of pork, bacon lovers should head to Big Fat Bacon, where they can get a quarter-cut of prime pork belly on a skewer.
Pickle pizza, which came onto the market a few years ago and has now become a popular dish, is a must. Be prepared to wait in line, because it’s worth it. In fact, you could say that anything pickled is in demand – from pizza to fried, breaded or plain pickles to pickle dogs, Reuben pickle dogs (with sauerkraut) and pickle tots. There are endless pickles.

After these starters and main courses, here are some desserts and a little something to wash it down:

No visit to the State Fair is complete without a stop at Sweet Martha’s Cookie Jar Cookies. The bucket full of warm chocolate chip cookies is the fair’s most famous item. Now there are three booths on the fairgrounds that produce 3 million cookies a day. Last year it grossed over $4.5 million, twice as much as any other. That’s a lot of cookie dough.
A healthy stop at the all-you-can-drink milk stand. One of my sons remembers it used to cost 10 cents, now it’s $3. It’s still the only food or drink that’s unlimited.
It goes without saying that your convention menu should include some kind of ice cream. The best place to find it is the Dairy Goodness Bar in the Dairy Building. They have virtually any ice cream you could want, including cones, malt ice cream, and sundaes. It’s also where you can see this year’s Princess Kay of the Milky Way carved in butter.

And as a nod to history, stop at the Hamline Church Dining Hall, which has been present at the fair in some form since 1897. It is especially known for its Swedish meatballs, roast chicken and roast ham.

So that’s it. Are you hungry? You know where to go.