Good luck fantasia!

I failed to comment on our recent visit to the Minnesota State Fair. The weather was pretty nice, which explains why some 185,000 people were packed into the fairgrounds that day. My new fair food this year was a wild rice cheeseburger, which was absolutely delicious! The honey lemonade, which I also tried for the first time, was a bit too...honey-flavored. Kind of hard to explain, but it wasn't something I'll be standing in line for next year.

The kids love to see the livestock, especially the horses and rabbits. Too bad the bunny barn was closed when we got over there. But there were horses marching down the street outside and the girls loved that!

I have been told by a Minnesotan recently returning from Texas that their state fair is not much to boast about. That it ranks about the same as a county fair up here.

After poking around the internet a bit, I suspect that's something of an exaggeration. The Texas Fair boasts some big attractions of its own.

And according to wikipedia:

The State Fair of Texas is the largest state fair in the United States by annual attendance, with 2,618,500 attendees in 2010. However, the Minnesota State Fair has a higher average daily attendance.

For comparison, the State Fair of Texas runs 24 days. The Minnesota State Fair drew 1,776,211 people in 12 days that same year and is among the country's largest by daily attendance. In size, the Minnesota Fairgrounds is 360 acres and the Texas one is 277 acres.

I think it'd be fun to do a "State Fair tour" around the country, much like baseball fans tour other cities' stadiums. The only other state fair I've seen is the Iowa (made famous by the musical).

Results are in.

Red Thai Chili Peppers - 1st
Long Green Striped Watermelon - 3rd
Canned Tomatoes - 3rd
Sun Gold Tomatoes - 5th or 6th (I forget)
Heaviest Watermelon - 7th (aka, dead last but they still gave me a ribbon)

My father-in-law got a 3rd and 5th in milo, he was the other family member I saw that got a ribbon. We forgot to check one category in the foods and we still need to get into the building with the all of the photographs cause I think there were several entries from my family.

Nice, fantasia, congratulations! And ... what about those decadent chocolate-chip cookies?

So, how heavy was your watermelon? (Yay for ribbons whatever the placing! )

And ... what about those decadent chocolate-chip cookies?

Nope, neither my husband nor his brother placed.

So, how heavy was your watermelon?

I wasn't there when it was weighed so I didn't have the number burned into my brain. I think it was 59.4lbs. Lightweight The winner was somewhere near 150lbs.

Bumping this to page 1, at the request of our resident Marshwiggle. Let the County Fairs discussion begin!

One question, Puddleglum, ever seen Eel Stew for sale at a fair?

fantasia, I am utterly surprised your hubby's chocolate-chip cookies did not win something. They sure would at his work.

I must regret to say I have yet to see eel on any of the listed items in the food court, or elsewhere.
Sadly I must satisfy my tastbuds with my continued quest for the perfect Brat, (again, for those first reading this topic Marsh-Wiggles do not eat children),
It must be spicy, but not enough to overpower the natural flavor of the meat. The skin must be crisp, yet not burnt, and does not stretch when you bite into it. It must have just enough juice to be moist, yet not ooze hot molten grease down the chin.
Add whatever condimints you like, be they ketchup, mustard, or kraut, but do not make the brat dissapear under it all.
I have come close, but as yet to find my quarry. Perhaps this is the year

I'm getting hungry reading your post, Puddleglum, and it's reassuring that Wiggles do not eat children.

I visited my parents' southern Minnesota town last week, and the county fair was going on. We didn't visit it for various reasons (though I have childhood memories of doing so) but we could hear music from the nightly grandstand shows from their apartment. So I had Kenny Rogers singing background while I was out stargazing.

Looking forward to our annual trek to the Minnesota State Fair in just a few weeks!

It's almost fair time!! *jumps up and down in excitement* I registered a few days ago so we'll see what I end up with to take in. Here's what I signed up for....

~Cherry tomatoes
~Heirloom tomatoes
~Jalapeno peppers
~Habenero peppers
~Other hot peppers (entering my Thai peppers)
~Mild Salsa
~Medium Salsa
~Canned tomatoes

(Can you tell what I have growing in my garden this year? )

Husband's entries...
~Chocolate chip cookies
~Cookies made with honey
~Honey (So excited to enter in this category this year after failing to do so last year.)

Oooh, what a great list, fantasia. Keep us posted! It sure is exciting about entering the honey for the first time. And the CC cookies better win an award this year! All the best with each item!

Sadly I must satisfy my tastbuds with my continued quest for the perfect Brat, (again, for those first reading this topic Marsh-Wiggles do not eat children),

'Tis surely good to know.

mmmm...tomatoes, salsa, and cookies! Sounds tasty.

Our annual trek to the Minnesota State Fair was last Saturday. This heat wave was just starting then, so in that sense our timing was good - but it made for a crowded visit since a lot of other people had the same idea.

Brats, Puddleglum? In this heat I've been unable to enjoy making fires and cooking those Johnsonville brats over the embers. Hopefully it'll cool off soon.

~Cherry tomatoes
~Heirloom tomatoes
~Jalapeno peppers
~Habenero peppers
~Other hot peppers (entering my Thai peppers)
~Mild Salsa
~Medium Salsa
~Canned tomatoes

Husband's entries...
~Chocolate chip cookies
~Cookies made with honey
~Honey (So excited to enter in this category this year after failing to do so last year.)

Of the above entries, the only ones I didn't get entered were the heirloom tomatoes (and the salsa, but that's due on Monday). But everything else my husband and I took in tonight. Tomorrow is the first day of the fair and the honey judging is at 1pm. We'll try to make it, but it may not happen, we'll see.

We might have bumped shoulders at the State Fair stargazer. The Mrs., and I were there as well. Definitly warm, but well worth the time. One of the siblings entered a walking stick this year and got second place. He was a little disappointed, but realized he was up against the states best.
Unfortunatly I was unable to continue in my quest, I had over-indulged on a smoked turkey leg, and was incapable of stuffing myself further. Next year
I am curious as to how you did fantasia_kitty. Especially with your honey. We make an effort every year to make it to the Horticulture building, and see what is there.

~Cherry tomatoes - 1st place
~Jalapeno peppers - Did not place (which I knew, they didn't look that great)
~Habenero peppers - 1st place
~Other hot peppers (entering my Thai peppers) - Did not place
~Canned tomatoes - Will be judged on Wednesday

Husband's entries...
~Chocolate chip cookies - Did not place
~Cookies made with honey - Did not place
~Honey - 3rd place, which was extremely cool and the one we were admittedly most excited about

Now the downside, this morning was when the salsa was due and judged. However, due to circumstances beyond my control (I'm sick) I'm not going to be driving over this morning to participate. That's alright though, I got two blue ribbons this year for myself, and as I said above, we're REALLY excited about the third place on that honey.

fantasia, congratulations on your two blue ribbons! And the honey win is very cool, indeed! I cannot figure out how the CC cookies did not place though.

Btw, what are the criteria for the honey? Curious.

Another fair has come and gone. I didn't place on my canned tomatoes much to my great annoyance. It was particularly irritating because the one piece of feedback I had was that I needed to check the amount of time I wrote down for how long I cooked them. Well, I did and it was correct soo.... ???

Jo, in answer to your question, they critique the clarity, the flavor and appearance, as well as the moisture content.

So it was a very fun fair this year because I got to take my little man and revisit through the eyes of a child. We went on rides including the big slide, the ferris wheel, and the train (which he LOVED). Yesterday we watched the pig races and hit up the petting zoo. Ate some ice cream, which I shared with Evan, and some corn, pronto pops, deep friend cake balls which I did not share.

Until next year!