The Fair Food Trifecta
Minnesota is known as the land of 10,000 lakes, but if you lived here you would probably agree it is the land of 10,000 fairs & festivals.
The Minneapolis Aquatennial, the St. Paul Winter Carnival, and the Minnesota State Fair are three of the oldest and largest, but most small communities have celebrations of their own. Mainly in the summer, but in the other seasons as well, cities and small towns all over the state are holding their annual festivals, often commemorating their heritage. In Birch Point that would be Voyageur Daze.
Games, rides, contests, music, and local artisans are usually featured. But everyone knows that the biggest attraction at all of them is food, food, and lots more food. You just don’t feel like you’ve experienced everything unless you walk out of the gate having met the goal of feeling thoroughly stuffed and satisfied you’ve indulged in all the favorite foods you came for. I’m sure you are thinking of yours as you read this.
When Liz spent a summer here we went to a number of fairs. There are countless choices of treats at every one, but there were three food booths we never missed. Liz dubbed them the “Fair Food Trifecta.” Between those three booths you can pretty much reach your grease quota. It is the complete fair food meal. I would venture to say that unless you are committed to eating healthy even at a fair (there’s healthy food at a fair?) almost everyone hits those same three booths at some time during their experience.
What is the Fair Food Trifecta? Corn dogs, cheese curds, and mini donuts.
You don’t have to eat them in that order, but it does make a complete meal with your main course, side, and dessert. There is something from each of the five food groups in this meal: meat, veggies, dairy, grains, and fats. Where are the vegetables, you ask? It is a CORN dog. You can customize your corn dog with a swath of mustard, or ketchup, or some of each, often painted on with a basting brush by the vendor. Many people have a strong opinion on which is the proper condiment, but whatever your preference, it is deliciousness on a stick.
It is usually easy to spot the cheese curd booths due to the long lines leading up to them. These cheese curds are not the kind with the dry heavy breading, but with a lighter batter deep fried around ooey, gooey, chewy cheese.
Top that off with a bag of a dozen warm, melt-in-your-mouth mini donuts, rolled in sugar with a bit of cinnamon sprinkled in. M-m-m-m. Perfect. Wash it all down with a glass of ice cold lemonade or a mug of hot apple cider (depending on the season) and you’ve got your fruit group covered too.
You can go home now. You have accomplished your goal.