I didn’t win any ribbons at the fair this year. Apparently my four entries were small potatoes compared to the woman who hogged all the awards. Worse, she sounds too charming to dislike for it.
One of my strange, largely non-marketable skills is that I write letters that get responses. Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl printed one of mine in her City Pages food column this week, and came to the interesting conclusion that compiling a list of Minnesota food gems will start a gourmet revolution. I think revival might be more accurate, but hey, I’m not called revolutionary that often, so I’ll take it.
Here are a few of my MN food essentials–a short, incomplete list of why the Twin Cities are great for foodies:
Grocery Cooperatives
Farmers Markets with countless, if not only, local farmed goods
New French and Rustica breads
Cedar Summit Milk
Hope and Pastureland butters
Sonny’s Ice Cream
Legacy Chocolate’s Potion No. 9
Cafe Brenda
La Belle Vie
MN State Fair
Midtown Global Market
Origami sushi
Restaurant Alma
The Modern
NE Mpls food corridor: Surdyk’s, Pizza Nea, Punch Pizza, Fugaise, Brasa, Bulldog, Gardens of Salonica, Wilde Roast, all within blocks of one another! Now if only someone (Sonny’s, Izzy’s, Sebastian Joe’s, I’m talkin’ to you) would open an ice cream outpost, that area would be foodie heaven.
My stomach and I are only human, so even on three trips to the fair this year I couldn’t try everything. I also didn’t make it to the Fine Arts building. Foodwise, I found both winners and losers, but here are some of Rick Nelson’s 2007 picks that I’ll check out next year in their sophomore outings:
**** (four stars)
- Alderman plums, Midtown Global Market, Cosgrove St. between Dan Patch Av. and Wright Av.
- Buttermilk scones with jam, Country Scones & Coffee, Food Building
- Lingonberry Turnovers, Lingonberry Ice Cream, Underwood St. and Carnes Av.
- Strawberry and chocolate ice cream sodas, Bridgeman’s, Judson Av. and Liggett St.
- Strawberry malts, Dairy Goodness Bar, Empire Commons
I’ll also try for a pork chop on a stick. I’ve only heard superlative things about them from my carnivorous friends.
Yesterday all four of us went to the fair for food and rides. Drake loved it. So if you’re wondering at what age kids really get a fair or something like it, for us it was four (same thing for his birthday party).
G. Grod was less than thrilled that Drake wanted to ride the giant swinging boat ride, but both enjoyed the big ferris wheel. I agreed to go with Drake on the giant slide, which I found disconcertingly fast, though Drake loved it. I decided that discretion was the better part of valor and decided not to try any rides with 18M Guppy. Even the carousel frightened Drake until he was three.
And, oh yes, we did some eating.
Breakfast was Cinnie Minis from Cinnie Smith’s–warm mini cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting. CMs have a good amount of cinnamon and sugar, unlike Cinnabon. For protein, we got the Twisted Sister sausage from Sausage Sister n Me. While better than the Uff Da brat, it still wasn’t great. I don’t know if we’re choosing bad menu items, or if they’re off their game this year, since we’ve so enjoyed them previously.
Since we were in the food building, we got Mouth Trap fried cheese curds and fried pickle slices stuffed with cream cheese from The Preferred Pickle. Both of these were hits with the boys, though the ranch dipping sauce for the pickles was overkill, if such a thing is possible at the MN state fair. Exhausted, Guppy took an early nap in the stroller while Drake, G. Grod and I devoured a wild rice/beef hot dog on a stick from the Wild Rice stand in the food building, surprisingly inexpensive for fair food at only $2.50.
I got a lingonberry sno cone. It had too much ice, but the syrup was pleasantly tart and sweet, though I’m not sure I could have distinguished it from cranberry.
We tried Fresh French Fries this year, which didn’t seem markedly better than World’s Best, and had too many short, “bottom of the batch” specimens.
While his brother was on the ferris wheel, Guppy devoured his first Pronto Pup, and I suspect it won’t be his last. Pups are Minnesota’s batter-dipped hot dogs on a stick. Corn dogs are Iowan, you know.
Drake was loathe to share from the cone of Sweet Martha’s chocolate chip cookies, and our glass of milk wasn’t big enough for the four of us. We had a few other unremarkable food stuffs for the ravening kids, like fried cheese on a stick, lemonade, and soft-serve ice cream. By that time, though, it was hot and crowded, and G. Grod had had enough. Drake and I could have probably kept going, but I think we’ll wait till next year. A look at the daily attendance makes it look like the opening day and the first Tuesday are the best bets to beat the crowds.
I visited the fair solo in the morning to catch the cooking demos by local chefs, then brought 4yo Drake back with me in the afternoon. The weather was erratic, but the cooking panels were good, as were the food samples, which I’ll describe along with yesterday’s fair food.
New. Double-dark frozen mocha dipped in chocolate on a stick. Who knew they could improve on the best fair food, the mocha on a stick? Go, Minnesota Farmer’s Union Coffee!
Tom Thumb mini donuts. The most delicious carb bomb in the world. Perfect for breakfast, and I accompanied it with a free sample of Cedar Summit whole milk, my favorite–yay!
Then other free, delicious samples:
Thousand Hills Cattle Co.’s sloppy joe
Pastures a Plenty breakfast link
Pastureland gouda and butter
For the demos, JP Samuelson, of JP American Bistro, did a coconut curry with rock shrimp and English shell peas. The chefs from the Birchwood Cafe did a summer ceviche. Both were very good, as was a squash, beet and blue cheese soup later in the day.
For lunch I had
Roast Corn. As good as always.
Honey Lemonade from the Ag building. Just $1.
Later with Drake, we had a chocolate custard cone (good, not great) from Custard’s Last Stand, and 1919 root beer, my only repeat foodstuff. Neither impaired our ability to enjoy the carousel, the skyride, or a whirling ride in Kidland.
More fun at the fair to come.
Today was Minnesota Cooks day at the MN State Fair. There were cooking demos by local chefs all day who used mainly local, organic ingredients. There were tasting panels of local farmers and other food-conscious personages (newspaper reporter, senator, Olympic athlete, food critic). There was a tent with lots of information on local food, as well as stunningly tasty free samples: Cedar Summit had cups of milk, Pastures a Plenty had different types of their pork sausage, Thousand Acres Farm had sloppy joe mix, and Pastureland had gouda and buttered crackers.
For further foodie heaven, the on-stage chefs cooked enough for the crowd to sample. I tried a coconut-curry rock shrimp with peas, a lime ceviche with black corn tortilla chip, and a buttercup squash soup with roasted beets and blue cheese. Other local chefs, such as Brenda Langton, interviewed the participants to provide a broad view of local food use, benefits, consumption and availability. It was a wonderful community food event, which took place at the biggest community food event in Minnesota, the state fair.
Aglow with good feeling for my fellow foodies, I followed a link from Arts & Letters Daily based on this teaser:
Imagine an egalitarian world in which all food is organic and local, the air is free of industrial pollution, and vigorous physical exertion is guaranteed. Sound idyllic?
Daniel Ben-Ami, writing for the Spiked Review of Books, examines several of the latest economic books, and decries the trend to criticize prosperity and romanticize simplicity. He correctly asserts, in his well researched and documented article, that things are more complex than many gung-ho, Buy-Local advocates would believe. Yet he doesn’t nuance the other extreme, so his article feels imbalanced.
Privileging the local can be taken to an extreme that would have a negative impact on the economy, and ultimately the lives of many. Ignoring the local would have a different but still negative effect. Ultimately, I think the answer lies in the simple adage, “Think Global, Act Local.” Both global and local are important and neither could exist without the other. That there is a global market has huge benefits on many levels. But supporting local businesses and farms does too. It doesn’t have to be either/or; it’s both/and.
G. Grod and I had a date at the MN State Fair last night. We parked and rode, which was free and not too time consuming. Since we entered near the creative arts building, we checked that out first. There were some cool quilts, like one with Ugly-Doll looking beasties. The sock monkey corner has expanded, but I think the geek pleasure maxed out last year, and this year the monkeys have jumped the shark. (Thanks, Jon Hein, for that term, by the way.)
I found my four baking entries on display among the hundreds of others. I was proud of myself (and G. Grod) for spotting them. I felt like I’d found my kids in a big crowd. The winning entries must have tasted better, because their appearance wasn’t exceptional. The winning brownies looked rather pale and were probably made with Hershey’s cocoa, which doesn’t provide enough chocolate punch for my taste. The winning scones were wedge shaped and denser than mine. The winning banana breads looked very plain–just bananas, or bananas and walnuts. Perhaps my bittersweet shaved chocolate was too risque for the judges in that category. I think I’ll bake again next year, as long as I can have fun with it, try not to care if I win, and minimize my “one more thing” stress-y tendencies.
We went to see Greg Brown, but decided to wander rather than see the whole show. We caught a few songs, which reminded us that he’s a great songwriter with a low voice that draws us in.
Foodwise, the new things we tried were mostly disappointing, while the old faves held up:
Corn fritters and fried green tomatoes with honey butter: the former were savory and sweet, the latter were tangy. The honey butter complemented both. Yum; highly recommended.
1919 root beer: nicely spicy and smooth; highly recommended
New: Uff-da Brat from Sausage Sister N Me: Disappointing. Dry lefse around a decent brat. Perhaps it would be better with the works (mashed potatoes and kraut), but they sounded awfully heavy. The lingonberry ketchup was sweet and bland. Not recommended. Try some of their past winners instead: Puff Daddy on a Stick, or Nacho Sistaaz.
Mouth Trap fried cheese curds: the must-have; greasy, gooey, and a whopping $5 (is that more expensive than last year?) Still, highly recommended.
New: Sundae with Minnesota strawberries: unremarkable. Soft-serve ice cream was stiff and not very flavorful, strawberries were macerated and good, but nothing more. Recommended with reservations.
New: Spam burger (for G. Grod, but I took a bite when he swore it was good): Surprisingly good, in a “I can’t believe I’m eating this, yet I crave another bite” way. Soft bun, salty slab of Spam, gooey cheese=remarkably simple yet tasty combination. Recommended, in spite of myself.
New: Frozen Key Lime Pie on a Stick: Not good. The lime pie was simultaneously bitter and over-sugared. The sweetness did not offset the bitterness, and overwhelmed the chocolate coating, rendering it tasteless. Not recommended.
[I'll try to add links later.]
It’s that time again. I’m hoping to make it to the MN State Fair three times this year. I’ve learned a few things that will help maximize food and minimize fatigue.
Old Favorites (taught to us by Mr. and Mrs. Blogenheimer, who showed us the glory that is the fair)
- Mouth Trap cheese curds
- World’s Best french fries
- Roast corn
- Sweet Martha’s chocolate chip cookies
- Tom Thumb mini donuts
- 1919 root beer
Newer Favorites
- Frozen Mocha on a Stick (Minnesota Farmers Union Coffee Shop, Dan Patch Avenue at Cosgrove Street).
- Mini cinnamon rolls (Cinni Smiths, Murphy Avenue at Cooper Street).
- Puff Daddy on a Stick (or anything from Sausage Sister & Me, Food Building).
- Wild rice corn dogs, Minnesota Wild Rice, Food Building
- Corn fritters with honey butter
- Cider Freezie
- Honey sunflower seed ice cream
For the husband:
- Red Bull Push-ups, Axel’s, Food Building, southeast corner
This year, based on Rick Nelson’s recommendations, I’m planning to try:
- Key Lime Pie on a Stick
- Sundae with Local Strawberries at the Dairy Goodness Bar
- Lingonberry ice cream at Underwood and Carnes
- Fresh French Fries (Liggett and Carnes, or Judson and Nelson)
My tips for the fair:
- Go early. Go hungry.
- Skip “real” food; it’s heavy and will fill you up. You can make a meal on a combination of the recommendations above.
- Always order the small size, no matter how good a deal a bigger size is.
- Share it, preferably among four (like fair-food tapas).
- Don’t take fair food home; the magic is gone.
- Visit the creative arts and fine arts building. I was not listed in the top five of the baking categories I entered, so I’m going to size up the competition, and see if I want to bake again next year.
- Go once with the kids, and at least once without them.
- Minnesota Cooks day is Tuesday August 28, 2007
- Weather this week is supposed to be good.
- Check out the free Leinie Lodge bandshell shows. There’s usually a gem or two worth seeking out.
Like the backhoe loader in one of our favorite books, I’m Dirty, Drake wanted a (pretend) mud cake for his birthday. I skipped the scoop of Rocky Road–I figured the cake had more than enough sugar for the adults, much less the kids. I made the “mud” cake (actually a Blackout Cake from Cook’s Country) on Friday night, assembled it (complete with toy digger and mounds of “dirt” frosting), and cleaned the house on Saturday, and then had some of Drake’s friends over to celebrate.
THEN I began to bake again, because in a fit of something (madness? hubris?) I entered the baking competition at the State Fair in several categories, and samples were due the next morning. I made four recipes in three and a half hours: brownies, banana bread, corn muffins and scones.
I have no idea when the judging happens, or when and how the results are communicated. I had a great time baking this weekend, and an even better time eating the results. If I get a ribbon, that’ll just be metaphorical icing.
Final stats for all five recipes:
Eggs: 8
Sugar: 6 1/4 cups
Butter: 1 1/16 pounds
Chocolate (bittersweet, unsweetened, white, and cocoa): over a pound
Last night we checked out Harry’s Food and Cocktails, in Minneapolis on Washington Ave. It’s in the old Nochee space next to the depot, with the Botero sculpture in front. It’s chef Steven Brown’s new place, and has an old-fashioned American steakhouse vibe, with simple, dark decor to match.
The table had a dish of mostly sweet and slightly sour homemade pickles, and the Sunday night special was a green goddess salad with a pork chop. G. and I got an appetizer of calamari and tried two of the many burger variations. The calamari were good, but not great. The pieces were sweet and tender, but the coating was slightly greasy, and thus a bit doughy. The accompanying pepper aioli had a nice kick, though.
I got the Harry’s burger, which the menu said had cheddar cheese and special sauce. It arrived cooked to my order (medium), but with an unexpected giant pile of sweet, sauteed onions. They were good, but overwhelmed the taste of everything else, so I had no idea what the special sauce tasted of. G. had made the better choice with the Dara burger, named for the City Pages food critic. It was a revision of the burger Brown did at Rock Star, with crispy prosciutto, a melty blue cheese, and a burger whose flavor at medium-rare blasted out of the bun. The fries were very good, and at the end we were beyond full, so while the dessert list looked good, we had to pass.
The service was good but not exceptional, and my water glass dipped low several times. I was disappointed that they didn’t have a local root beer on tap. They’re still within weeks of opening, though, so these are all fixable issues. The vibe was reminiscent of Ike’s, another old-time-y steakhouse that started strong, but couldn’t maintain momentum. I hope that Harry’s can do better.
I’ll certainly go back to Harry’s, not least because I didn’t see the french fries with cheese curds and gravy. The quality and flavor of the food was quite good, and our check arrived with four mini homemade chocolate chip cookies. I think next time I’ll try a salad, split a medium-rare burger with the gravy fries, and have a go at one of the decadent-sounding desserts.
Becca notes that while the bridge collapse is tragic, some of the media coverage of it is just pathetic.
I’ve been a Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl fan for years, and even Bookslut has recognized her genius.
OK, maybe genius is a little strong. But she’s a great food critic. I’ve learned loads from reading her columns.
A bridge collapsed in Minneapolis tonight, but we were safe at home. Our thoughts and wishes go out to all those touched by this.
From the Eastside Food Co-op:
Our family attended this last year and the year before. We had good food, and a good time!
Don’t miss the Annual Corn Feed at the Northeast Farmers Market on Saturday, August 11, 2007 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Farmers Market is every Saturday morning through October from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot of St. Boniface Church at 7th and University NE.
It’s a great opportunity to shop, nosh a bit, spend time with your neighbors, and hear local music.
The Corn Feed features local corn at the peak of the season!
I’m in; how about you?
From Twin Cities Food Coop:
Eat Local Challenge to launch Aug. 15
You likely know the benefits of eating local food: it’s good for the local economy, the environment and for family farmers who adhere to sustainable farming techniques. Plus, you and your family enjoy food that’s fresher and more flavorful.
With so many good reasons to put local food on your family’s table, the 12 Twin Cities natural food co-ops are banding together and inviting their members, shoppers and community residents to take the Eat Local Challenge.
The challenge encourages community members to try to commit to consuming 80 percent of their diet — or four out of five food items–from local sources from Aug. 15 through Sept. 15 (a four-week period that just happens to be during peak harvest season for many produce items).
But don’t think strictly about fruit and vegetables. At your co-op, you’ll find a number of locally produced dairy, cheese, bakery, herbs and meat/poultry items as well. Just look for the round, green and black “Local” sticker or ask any co-op staff person for assistance.
We’re in the process of creating a number of in-store and online materials — including sample menus, shopping lists and in-season produce lists — to help you succeed. They’ll be available here and at your co-op by Aug. 13, so keep an eye out for them. Plus, we’re creating an online blog, which you’ll find on this website, so you can share your local food experience with others in the community.
We’re hoping this will be a fun, educational experience — one you may choose to continue beyond the “official” four-week challenge. And remember, there’s no contract to sign; it’s simply an honor-based system designed to help all of us make wise, thoughtful choices about the food we eat. So won’t you join us by taking the Eat Local Challenge?
My family made the jaunt down to Cedar Summit farm in New Prague, MN this past Saturday. Things looked pretty grim as we forgot the directions, overshot our exit by 17 miles and ended up in Faribault, by which time both Drake and Guppy woke and commenced a particularly painful screaming session. We did make it to the farm, though, and got to see the cows who give the milk and cream we buy. Guppy’s conversation was mostly “hi!” and “moo!” while we were there. Drake and G. Grod took a tour of the farm while I saw a presentation by a farmer from Moonstone farms. I enjoyed the cooking demo and learned some things about cooking grass-fed beef: bring to room temp before cooking, cook lower and slower and for less time than conventional beef, go for rare if possible. Both Guppy and I enjoyed the Moonstone Farms seared beef with carrots and cuke in a lettuce wrap. We all ate local wild-rice bratwursts from Pastures a Plenty and Cedar Summit ice-cream cones. I waited too long for a cup of my favorite root beer, 1919 (made by Schell’s Brewery in New Ulm, MN); the keg got tapped. Ah well, the Minnesota State Fair is only a month away.
Future dates for MN foodies:
MN Cooks at the State Fair: Sunday August 26, 2007
Beef and Blues (music and cheeses) at Cedar Summit Farm: Sunday September 9, 2007
Cows! Music! Tasty treats! Saturday July 21, 2007 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. in New Prague, MN.
During my recent Arizona vacation, I had the opportunity to ride a cute pink bike that belonged to my friend Becca . I bought a cute pink helmet and I got on a bike for the first time in over fifteen years.
I enjoyed it so much I visited Behind Bars Bicycle Shop with my husband when I got back to Minnesota, and I got a cute bike of my own. G. Grod has been giving Behind Bars much of our disposable income since last year when he bought a bike and began commuting the 13 miles each way to work a few times a week, though not during winter (Nov. to Apr., approximately).
Our family now has four regular vehicles: a Nissan Maxima, a Mountain Buggy Urban Double stroller, G’s bike (a Redline 925) and my new bike, a yellow Sun Retro Aluminum Cruiser. Our one-car life is working out even better now that I have wheels of my own.
Yes, I know you have that joke elsewhere, too.
There are lots of road closings for construction in the Twin Cities area this weekend and beyond, so plan your routes in advance. (Thanks to Jim Walsh for the heads up.)
Did you think Mothers Day was invented by Hallmark? It’s been around for longer than that. Some research dates it back to Cybele (pronounced with a hard C, short Y and long E at the end: KIH-buh-Lee) worship in ancient Greece. The American version is largely based on a post-Civil War peace manifesto. The English version, Mothering Sunday, was reportedly begun so working class domestics could have at least one Sunday off a year to visit their mums, and so the mums could have off to receive the visits. Whatever the origin, though, there’s little disagreement that mothering is a tough gig, and few begrudge moms the day as tribute to that.
Some very good news for moms: the Mommy War is more a media invention than an accurate portrait of reality:
Most women today have to work: it’s the only way their families are going to be fed, housed and educated. A new college-educated generation takes it for granted that women will both work and care for their families — and that men must be an integral part of their children’s lives. It’s a generation that understands that stay-at-home moms and working mothers aren’t firmly opposing philosophical stances but the same women in different life phases, moving in and out of the part-time and full-time workforce for the few years while their children are young.
In this week leading up to Mothers Day in America, think about the mothers in your life. Not just your mom, or your spouse’s mom, but all the mothers: friends, siblings, co-workers, neighbors. Give a mom a break this week. If you hear a screaming kid and judgment flashes through your brain, offer help instead. And think of pretty, comforting things, big or small, that might make a mom’s day a bit brighter:
Card Papyrus carries, and Marcel Shurman makes, lovely ones.
Flowers I love yellow roses and dislike lilies. Do your loved one a favor. Ask what she likes, and avoid carnations, daisies, baby’s breath, and alstroemeria, unless specifially requested. Gerbera daisies are an exception.
Chocolate Twin Citian’s are fortunate to have both B.T. McElrath (I love the passionfruit and dark chocolate truffles) and Legacy Chocolates (Potion No. 9) readily available.
Accessories Little blue box or big orange box, brand recognition can be a lovely thing. I love the blue/green En Duo ribbon pattern.
Books I recently recommended Jill Murphy’s Five Minutes’ Peace and Kate Atkinson’s Behind the Scenes at the Museum. Both take wry looks at the mundane reality of mothering small children, though Atkinson’s book is both funny and tragic. For self-examination and spiritual growth, I recommend Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. Gift cards for www.amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Border’s, or your local book shop are always good ideas.
Ice Cream Did you know that you can get Graeter’s ice cream shipped? Now you do. The chocolate chip flavors are stunning.
Ice Cream, Again Twin Citians, you’ve got a lot to love.
Fancy Dinner at the best restaurant in your city. Twin Citians, this is ours.
Music Fun and Booty-Shakin’ (Justin Timberlake’s FutureSex/Lovesounds), Local (new Low album!), Singer/Songwriter male (Rufus Wainwright’s Release the Stars), Singer/Songwriter female (Patti Griffin’s Children Running Through), Sophomore effort (Arctic Monkeys’ Favourite Worst Nightmare)
Movies Go out to a theater that serves good popcorn with real butter (Heights, Riverview, or GTI Roseville in the Twin Cities), or stay in and watch the vastly underrated Children of Men, Alfonso Cuaron’s chilling look at a future without mothers.
If you have other ideas, email me and I’ll post them, too.
My unexpected gift, today? That baby Guppy is still napping, which has allowed me the time I needed for this link-a-palooza.
And if you were bothered by my lack of apostrophe in Mothers Day, get over it. Apostrophes are one of the most misused and unnecessary pieces of punctuation. Here’s a long explanation of why I can leave them out. But do you get what I mean when I say Mothers Day? Then you see my point.