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Gifts From the Minnesota State Fair That Aren't Deep-Fried or on Sticks

Posted in Out & About on Fri, 09/03/2010 - 7:00am by Tracy Morgan -

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It’s often difficult to remember that the fair is about more than just food. Because, well, we quite like the food. Local, ethnically diverse and deep-fried qualities notwithstanding, we simply love the food at the state fair. And we all justify our indulgence with the knowledge that it’s just a one-time-a-year fling. Yet, there’s more to the fair than just food. So, what if we wanted to enjoy the fair more than just once a year?

Short of winning yourself a blue ribbon for a baked good or a prize hog, what else can you take home from the fair? Better yet, what kinds of gifts can you find that can deliver the essence of the fair to someone you love? I decided to poke around and find out. Here are my favorite food and food-related gifts to find at the Minnesota State Fair:

Please Come to Our Awesome Local Food Event September 21 at Barbette

Posted in Out & About on Thu, 09/02/2010 - 7:05am by lee -

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Truth be told, we're having a little bit of a hard time over here figuring our what we're most excited about.

On the one hand, we're big fans of Barbette, a French-influenced restaurant owned by Kim Bartmann (who also owns the Red Stag Supper Club and Bryant Lake Bowl) that's been serving up delicious local food in Minneapolis' Uptown area for years.

On the other hand, we're also big fans of Fulton Beer, a Minneapolis brewery that's been wowing our taste buds since we were first introduced in 2009.

Italian Cultural Day at Mill City Farmers Market: "Mi Piace!"

Posted in Out & About on Wed, 09/01/2010 - 7:00am by Tracey Paska -

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Yes, the fair is still going on, and summer's last long weekend is upon us, but there's another event that takes place this Saturday that deserves some attention, too. The Mill City Farmers Market invites us to enjoy Italian Cultural Day, when peak produce such as heirloom tomatoes and fresh herbs, and specialty products such as artisan olive oil will be highlighted. Throughout the summer, Mill City has hosted themed days that revolve around products and foods that complement the season, such as the recent picnic fest, or celebrate their growers and vendors, like the Native American and Hmong Cultural Days.

Tips for Making the State Fair Fun for the Whole Family

Posted in Out & About on Tue, 08/31/2010 - 7:00am by Kristin Boldon -

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My husband and I are not native Minnesotans; we moved here from Philadelphia in the late 1990s. Once we got here, we were happy to discover that there's much more to living here than enduring those long, hard winters. One of the most weird and wonderful discoveries was the Minnesota State Fair. Fair-savvy friends first took us in 1999, and I haven't missed a year since. Even when our first son was a week old. I went; he stayed home.

True Confessions: Forbidden Fair-Food Fetishes

Posted in Out & About on Mon, 08/30/2010 - 7:00am by Shari Danielson -

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Have you noticed a theme at Simple, Good and Tasty (SGT) this week? Nope, it’s not about the salmonella outbreak in factory-raised eggs; Michael Pollan, Bill Marler and John Robbins are doing a good job covering that subject for us. And, no, it’s not about the growing controversy about whether or not to sell flavored milk in school cafeterias; thank you, Renegade Lunch Lady Ann Cooper, for taking care of that one.