We go every year, without fail. We always head straight for the animal barns. We eat more fried food (on a stick) in one day that I do in a year. We always make sure to check out the butter sculptures, and get all-you-can-drink-milk for only $1. When we leave, our feet are tired, our bellies full, and our senses overworked from all the sights, sounds, smells and tastes. The Minnesota State Fair, also known as the Great Minnesota Get-Together, is one of my favorite summer traditions. I usually start looking forward to it around May or June, but then catch myself and remember that the fair means summer is almost over. This year was the first year I’ve ever worn a down vest to the fair, and while it felt decidedly more like fall than summer, it was a welcome change from previous years of heat and humidity.
As is tradition, we made sure to eat plenty of fair food. We started with corn dogs, my very favorite thing to eat at the fair, then moved on to share a Chicago-style hotdog. Next we shared some Asian noodles. He ate with a fork, I ate with chopsticks. It’s the norm for us. We wandered more, and then split a hamburger. We decided to skip the traditional strawberry malt from the dairy building, as well as the bucket of Sweet Martha’s Cookies. I was saving calories for something really special. One of the items on my bucket list this year was to eat something new and unexpected at the State Fair. I passed up the fried alligator on a stick, and wandered by the Big Fat Bacon (also on a stick). By this point in the day, I was thinking something sweet.
Then I saw the sign. DEEP FRIED CANDY BARS. Really? Seriously? Oh yes, really. It seemed like an adventurous, new and very different thing to try. I walked right up and slapped down $3.50 for a deep fried Snickers. Now, keep in mind that I have been on a very low sugar diet for the past couple months. When I bit into this… thing …I think my eyes crossed. Sweet, was an understatement. I needed something cold to wash down the ooey, gooey mess of chocolate, nuts, and sugar. The Milk Booth seemed like the natural place to head. And why not wash it down with chocolate milk? I mean, what the heck, right? I am not kidding you, I ate about three bites of that deep fried candy bar, and a few gulps of chocolate milk, and I was rapidly on my way to a sugar coma.
eat something new and unexpected at the state fair
I loved your recap….I lived it through you! We have only been once and it was because we went to see James Taylor in concert. Every year since we think about going and never make it. I hear the honey ice cream is to-die-for.
Glad you enjoyed yourself!
Cheers.
I love the shot of the honey. This post reminded me how awesome state fairs are. It has been too long since I have been to one.
I loved your State Fair recap – it reminded me of our trip to the fair last year together.
Where did the summer go? I can’t believe it’s autumn already.
I love that you wrote about your first deep fried Snickers!! These are my #1 favorite fair/carnival treat! I’ve gotten so many people hooked on them, it’s all they can talk about. The last fair I went to, I was there every night and got a fried Snickers every time. I knew it was bad when the guy recognized me after the 3rd time buying one.