The Minnesota State Fair start this week! This is one of my favorite times of year. Peyton and I have gone to the Minnesota State Fair every single year of her life, including the year she was in my belly. It’s one of our favorite things to do to end the summer. We head to the state fair early in the morning and eat our way through till we can’t eat anymore, the sun goes done or we are so hot we can’t go on.
I got a little sneak peak at some of the new foods at the fair so I thought I would share my thoughts with you. There are more new foods than I will be sharing with you today.
First up – Shaved Ice by Minnesnowii
There are several different flavors of shaved ice to choose from at Minnesnowii. Each cup of shaved ice is drizzled with 100% sweetened condensed milk which gives it a unique, sweet taste. I think it enhances the flavor and sets them apart from other shaved ice vendors. But, this year’s exclusive flavor is sure to have you coming back for more. Maple Bacon Shaved ice topped with bacon bits and a maple syrup drizzle. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect but I tried it. And ….it’s good!
You can taste the maple syrup and the bacon compliments the dish. I have no clue what made them think of making this flavor choice on shaved ice but it works. And it works really well together.
One word of caution ….These melt fast! So be sure to take a break and enjoy your Minnesnowii. They serve it with a spoon and straw so you can enjoy every last drop.
You can find Minnesnowii at the West End Market at the Minnesota State Fair.
Minnesota Corn Dog
I’m going to be honest and admit when I first saw this one I was just excited because it was a corn dog! I didn’t read the description before I took my first bite or second. It was my third bite I finally stopped and read the description – Custom ground sausage on a stick made with blueberries, apples, wild rice, maple syrup and cayenne dipped in a homemade corn dog batter and deep-fried.
It was really tasty and I was trying to put my finger on the ingredients. When I read them I was a little taken back. Wild rice? with blueberries? cayenne? But it’s so good! You do not need anything else except a napkin with this corn dog. The cayenne is subtle, I could tell it was there but not spicy. I would have let Peyton have some if she would’ve been with. It’s a very good twist on the corn dog.
You can find the Minnesota Corn Dog at Gass Station Grill located on the west side of Cooper Street between Dan Patch and Judson Avenues, on the southeast corner of the food building.
Tot Boss
This is a new vendor to the Minnesota State Fair! Maybe you’ve seen his food truck around town? I tried the Nacho Tater Tots and they were scrumptious. All the taco fixing were there on top of a bed of crispy fried tater tots. YUM! They will also be serving bacon-wrapped tots (I really want to try these), loaded tots, chili tots, tots’n’tenders, tots’n’dogs, poutine tots and more.
The portions are generous. You can definitely share this one or make it a meal in itself. I personally like to share so I can try more foods while I am out at the fair.
You can find Tot Boss on the east side of Underwood Street between Wright and Dan Patch Avenues, just south of the kidway.
Rustic Beef Pastry 
French Meadow Bakery & Cafe has created a Moroccan-spiced, grass-fed beef, topped with creamy goat cheese and baby spinach in a flaky butter crust.
This is another filling treat but I would only share it with one other person. You will definitely want more than one bite. It’s full of flavor and unique.
You can find the rustic beef pastry at the French Meadow Bakery & Cafe located on the north side of Carnes Avenue between Nelson and Underwood.
Cheesy French Onion Monkey Bread
I’m a huge fan of French Onion soup so I could not wait to get my hands on this one. You could easily share this with 3 other people but you won’t want to.
It’s a pull-apart artisan bread loaf filled with caramelized onions, cheese and beef broth. So good! It can be messy so this is a treat to have when you want to take a moment in the shade. I am not one that would be able to walk and eat this without losing the onions.
You can find the Cheesy French Onion Monkey Bread at the Blue Moon Dine-In Theater on the northeast corner of Carnes Avenue and Chambers Street.
Grilled Cheese Bites
I know what you are thinking. Big deal. Grilled cheese. But these are not your average grilled cheese. Made with white cheddar cheese blended with beer batter, cubed and deep fried. See, I told you they are not your average grilled cheese. I love how they are bite size. But I haven’t told you the best part ….they come with a bloody mary mix marinara sauce! And the sauce is the perfect accompaniment to the bites. Peyton and I will be stopping here to pick up a full order. I haven’t decided yet if I’m sharing with her or not.
We have O’Gara’s to thank for these little morsels. You can find them on the southwest corner of Dan Patch Avenue and Cosgrove Street.
I enjoyed getting a little sneak preview of some of the new food being offered this year at the state fair. Here is a list of ALL the new foods you can find this year at the Minnesota State Fair.
The Minnesota State Fair starts on Thursday, August 25th and run thru Labor Day.
What food are you looking forward to trying this year?
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