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My home state is an interesting and strange place, at no other venue is that more apparent than the Minnesota State Fair. Dubbed, "The Great Minnesota Get Together," for two weeks the Capital of Saint Paul is inundated with residents from all corners of the state, Wisconsin, and likely some Dakota imports for rides of questionable safety, rodeos and livestock competition, and most importantly: food. This week, I made my annual visit to the fair to screw my diet to hell for six hours and marvel at some of the more colorful characters Minnesota has to offer.
The gates to caloric overindulgence, and some of the best people watching this side of the Mississippi
Now some of you might be wondering how far you can stray from traditional fair food i.e. Pronto Pups, Corn Dogs, funnel cakes, cheese curds etc.Before we go into that though there is something you should know about our State Fair. Roosevelt actually delivered his, "Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick," speech at the Fair in the early part of the 20th century. The people of Minnesota, not being wont to waste a golden opportunity, started to put anything and everything on a stick at the Fair. I mean everything.
That is a fudge puppy and fried olives, both on a stick rather tame options really. If you are more adventurous try Bacon, deep fried candy bars, beer, spaghetti... You get the idea.
I managed to drum up a list from 2011 of the foods which are on a stick here. This list has not gotten any smaller in the last two years. Here is the complete list of new food for the 2013, for the curious. This year they even added a grilled, glazed donut... on a stick because why the hell not. Food is not the only way to poison yourself at our Fair though, you don't get voted the most hipster state in the US (which take it for what you will, personally I blame Minneapolis and not Saint Paul), without a massive following for locally brewed, craft beer.
List of Minnesota Brewers Guild at the Fair (Largest are bolded.)
612Brew
August Schell Brewing
Bent Paddle Brewing Co.
Big Wood Brewery
Boom Island Brewing
Brau Brothers Brewing
Castle Danger Brewery
Dangerous Man Brewing Co.
Excelsior Brewing Co.
Finnegans
Flat Earth Brewing Co.
Fulton Beer
Harriet Brewing Co.
Indeed Brewing Company
Jack Pine Brewery
Lift Bridge Brewing Co.
Lucid Brewing
Mankato Brewery
NorthGate Brewing
Olvalde Farm & Brewing Co.
Pour Decisions Brewing Co.
Steel Toe Brewing
Summit Brewing Co.
Surly Brewing Co.
Third Street Brewhouse
Vine Park Brewing
For those who have never been to Minnesota, or at least the cities, Summit especially holds a special place on the palette of Minnesota drinkers. To the point where like Coca-Cola in the South, entering a Twin Cities bar and ordering an EPA (Extra Pale Ale) the brand Summit is pretty much assumed. It is on you to distinguish that you would like a different brewery, lest the server simply bring you Summit.
If beer isn't precisely your cup of tea, but you happen to enjoy whiskey, one can always turn to 2 Gingers. A locally started, though recently acquired by Jim Beam, distillery which does a damn fine, mid range whiskey.
I have been trying to mind my girlish figure, so I myself kept it rather tame sticking to roasted corn, a gyro, and sharing some fried pickles and cheese curds. Though I paid a few too many visits to the beer garden, than is likely advisable. Now I just have to convince myself to get back to the gym and research roto-rooter services for my poor heart.
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Philadelphia, PA10406 Posts
FUCK YEAH MINNESOHTA MIRACLE OF GIRTH FAIR
CHEESE CURDS + INFINITE MILK + PAIL OF COOKIES + SURLY
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On September 01 2013 05:21 tree.hugger wrote:
FUCK YEAH MINNESOHTA
MIRACLE OF GIRTH FAIR
Physics would struggle to explain the geometry of some of the people at the state fair. If you are around this evening, and not doing anything, let me know. We could grab a drink.
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Philadelphia, PA10406 Posts
On September 01 2013 05:24 ThomasjServo wrote:Show nested quote +On September 01 2013 05:21 tree.hugger wrote:
FUCK YEAH MINNESOHTA
MIRACLE OF GIRTH FAIR Physics would struggle to explain the geometry of some of the people at the state fair. If you are around this evening, and not doing anything, let me know. We could grab a drink.
Unfortunately I'm out east on a family trip and am going to miss the rest of the fair. 
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Shrimp wrapped in bacon. My eyes have been opened O_o
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On September 01 2013 05:27 Djzapz wrote:
Shrimp wrapped in bacon. My eyes have been opened O_o
That's popular just about everywhere lol, I see that on menus all the time  . It's big in the south though.
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On September 01 2013 05:32 docvoc wrote:Show nested quote +On September 01 2013 05:27 Djzapz wrote:
Shrimp wrapped in bacon. My eyes have been opened O_o That's popular just about everywhere lol, I see that on menus all the time . It's big in the south though.
I've never seen that. I guess I'm aware of a bunch of things that are wrapped in bacon but I never see it around here
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On September 01 2013 05:27 Djzapz wrote:
Shrimp wrapped in bacon. My eyes have been opened O_o
Saw Bacon Ice Cream, and if you peek at the new food list there is bacon canolli as well.
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I had the chocolate covered bacon at this fair a couple years ago. Surprisingly good.
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Who else was there the time that a bull broke loose and started terrorizing the citizenry?
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Wow, brings back memories.
I guess I had simpler tastes, my favorite was always the french fry stand. That and admiring the state's largest pig, and the attached state's largest pig testicles.
At one time I had a theory that Minneapolitans could be divided into two groups:
1) State Fair people
2) May Day people
My family was firmly in the State Fair camp, but most everyone I knew in high school was in the May Day group.
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Went to college in the Twin Cities. Went to the state fair three years out of four. Fuck yeah deep-fried things on sticks. Also, fuck you for being able to drink Furious when I can't.
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Ah the good old minnesota state fair. If anybody is going there I highly suggest the gator on a stick. It's one of the most interesting(in a good way) combination of texture and flavor i've ever had and every time I go to the state fair I make sure to get myself some gator meat. I feel sad now that I realize I won't be attending this year.
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EPT![[image loading]](http://cathyzielske.typepad.com/my_weblog/images/2008/08/28/cpearlygates.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://assets.mnstatefair.org/images/food/f_landing_page/lp_grannys_fudge_puppy.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://assets.mnstatefair.org/images/food/f_lightbox/lb_grilled_shrimp.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://assets.mnstatefair.org/images/food/f_lightbox/lb_fried_fruit_olives.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://hyperallergic.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSCN5836.jpg)
