2022 Final Thoughts

Well it definitely felt like back to normal for State Fair. And it was a pretty good year, all things considered. We did not, in fact, die from the amount of new foods we had to try this year (41!!). In order to fit them all in we arrived right when the Fair opens at 6am, and discovered a whole new parking area and entrance gate that we had never seen before- and we LOVED IT. So that's our new thing, I guess.

Other notable moments:

Pickle Rick Pizza absolutely CRUSHED MNSF 2022- after probably the 2nd day there was non-stop lines around the block for it. And it continued into 2023 with the kickoff to the fair being the same. I'm glad we got it twice (thrice? Who can remember), because we'll probably never get to get it again lol.

Another top contender was the Pork Schnitzel Sammich coming out of Farmer's Union- people raved about it (despite us giving it only a B). Still- a good showing for them.

In other news, after a banner couple years pre-pandy, Blue Barn continues their descent into madness, earning themselves a D and an F this year.

Sarah had a full-on meltdown having to try Chili Dogs, and also threw some food on the ground.

Some lady straight up lied to our faces about how an item was good.

RIP to some absolute classic favorites:

• Dole Whip
• S'Mores Stand
• Hot Apple Dumplings
• Elephant Ears (the good ones)
• Rainbow Cloud Roll (technically RIP last year, but gave them a grace year due to pandy)

Finally, here are some stats:

There were 41 Official New Foods this year, costing us a whopping $402.50 which is an average of $9.81. It took us 9.75 hours and we walked 6.7 miles on the first day.

Last year there were only 27 New Foods at $264.75, so a huge increase, and the cost reflects that. But the average is exactly the same surprisingly.

However, when we factor in the Unofficial New Foods we tried, along with the New To Us Food recs from friends, we sampled a total of 58 New Foods over the entire fair, at $547.50 (an avg of $9.44).

We ended up with 9 As, 19 Bs, 23 Cs, 5 Ds, and 2 Fs.

So let's get to it.

Now We’re Talkin- Grade A Foods

Chick N Swiss Sausage- $8 at Gass Station Grill

A!! Oh man! We LOVED this sausage! Moist, slight zip from the jalapenos, slightly sweet from the pineapple. Wish we could regularly fire these up on our grill. Also a good size dog.

 

Queen B Lemonade- $5 at Soul Bowl

A- A blueberry lavender lemonade that is so damn good! Sweet, tangy, fresh, you really need to try it. Comes in a resealable pouch which is so convenient.

 

Pickle Pizza- $9 at Rick’s Pizza

A- holy cow, what a surprise! You guys, this was so good. Very pickle forward, salty, a great cheese and flavorful crust. The dill was really slammin. Sarah can’t get enough of it, she is crying.

 

Cotton Candy Float- $6 at German Root Beet and Popcorn

A- wow, this was as great as we had hoped. The soda tastes like liquid cotton candy and when you mix in the ice cream it becomes oh so creamy and delicious. Seriously, give this a try, a lovely, sweet treat!

 

Vegan Corn Dog- $7 from Daryl’s Dog House

A! Holy shit y’all. If someone handed us this corndog and we didn’t know it was Vegan WE WOULD HAVE NO IDEA. The ONLY criticism is that the hotdog lacks the slight snap of a real dog, but we only noticed because we were looking for differences. The batter is the bomb. This is the 3^rd best corndog at the fair (after Poncho Dog and Big Dog Corndogs).

 

Orange Treet- $5 with BRBB from Orange Treet

A! Ok, to be clear, this was recommended to us last year but we forgot to take a pic bc we’re basic bitches (also THANK YOU to whomever rec’d this to us- we can’t remember but we love you). Anyway this is like the most amazing, fresh-squeezed Orange Julius you’ll ever have. ALSO the strawberry is just as baller. Everyone get this.

 

Deli Sandwich- $12 at Steichen’s Market

A- heard this little market on the fairgrounds made a good deli sandwich, and hooo boy was that spot on. Ingredients were so fresh and it was just a great deli sandwich that you could customize to your liking. Made for a great dinner to bring home and eat later. Think we might do this again in the future, or hell, do it every time. Refreshing after a long day of crazy foods.

Lobster Roll- $20 at Scenic 61

A! Yoooooooooooo. This lobster roll is bangin! Unofficial new food- $20 might seem steep but it’s pretty much the going rate for lobster rolls nowadays, and honestly it’s not much more expensive than other fair foods.
The bread was buttery and toasty, the corn was a nice addition. Plus food slide!

Minty Magic Tart- $5.50 with BRBB at Sara’s Tipsy Pies

A- holy cow this was so good. Cold mint pie with a creamy whip on top and a flaky crust. So tasty and the cold dessert was nice for a hot day. Get this!

You’re on the Cusp of Greatness- Grade B Foods

Sundae Sammie- $10 from Jammy Sammies by Brim

B! Boy howdy was this a A with all that topping- sweet and salty, warm and cool, crunchy and soft. Y’all it was a great start to the day (and we were the VERY FIRST SUNDAE SAMMIE!). The only reason it’s not an A overall is once the topping is gone it’s not as special.

 

Pork Schnitzel Sandwich- $14 at Farmer’s Union

B! Great breading. Meaty and crispy with a nice sweet tang from the coleslaw. Little pricey.

 

Pistachio Paleta- $6 at Hamline Church Dining Hall

B- this dessert had a nice sweet flavor that really packed in the pistachio goodness and little pistachio pieces. The creamy texture was delightful. Would love trying the other flavors.

 

Minne Hot Hot- $12 from RC BBQ

B. These were great but OH GOD OUR MOUTHS ARE ON FIRE!! Also a bit of a mess to eat, but flavorful and tender.

 

Vanilla Dream- $10 at Nordic Waffles

B, though we were split with a C. Could’ve used something crunchy for texture, but flavors were good.

 

New Mexico Chile Dog Sliders 2 Ways- $10 from Blue Moon Dine-In-Theater

B. Obvs this is pretty divisive. We all agree that the shooter gets an A- it’s a delight. Those of us who like chili or those types of flavors enjoyed these. All agreed that the hotdogs were great. Those of us who like red onions enjoyed them but others thought they were too much.
Idk- there’s a lot going on so we’re all over the place. Good price for the amount of food.

 

Tot Dog- $7 at Lulu’s

B. Actually felt the beef hot dog was too big. Might’ve been better with a normal dog. But it was nice and crispy and a good size for the money.

 

Gray Duck Sundae- $9 at Bridgeman’s

B! Delightful! The marbits really make this sundae and they don’t skimp on them. The black licorice flavor was subtle and nice.

 

Minneblueberry Pie- $10 at Mineapple Pie

B! Solid Blueberry pie! Good ice cream, good filling, good crust. Wish we weren’t so hot and full so we could eat more of it.

 

Dej Qab Zib (sweet refreshment)- $7.50 at Union Hmong Kitchen

B! Coconut, lychee, and herbal flavors make this nice and refreshing. Just what we need in this sun.

 

Mov + Nqaij (Rice + Meat)- $14 at Union Hmong Kitchen

B- we got the chicken and lemongrass scallion dipping sauce. The chicken had a really great char on it, tender and flavorful. The sauce was very subtle, the sticky rice was great and the pickles make for a nice tart finish. Really enjoyed.

 

Pink Guava Slushie- $6 from Holy Land

B. Hey who doesn’t like a slushie on a hot day? No one, that’s who. Sweet and slightly tart, the guava is a fun flavor.

 

Molotes- 2 for $10 at Midtown Global Market- Andy’s Garage

B- the elote filling was good corn flavor and they didn’t skimp on the toppings.
C- the chipotle chicken filling was king of dry and the toppings didn’t help.
This was mostly Anne’s call on these, since elote makes Sarah and Packie cry.

 

Earth Sliders- $14 at French Meadow Bakery & Café

B- the best vegan thing we have had all day so far. Wouldn’t even know it wasn’t real chicken. I will tell you what it was though, a damn fine chicken sammich! Crispy, meaty (but not really), and good flavors. Only criticism was that it didn’t fit well on the bun.

 

Cheese on a Stick- $3 with BRBB at Netterfields

B- new to us, great, sweet batter, tasty cheese filling, would get again. Sarah liked it so much she threw the last bite on the ground so Packie couldn’t have it.

Deep Fried Olives on a Stick- $10 at Deep Fried Olives on a Stick

B. These were new to us and something we’ve always wanted to try. The breading/batter was bomb- crispy and perfectly fried. The olives were salty and had a good olive flavor. Would recommend for olive fans.

Corn Fritters- $8 at the Fried Green Tomato Stand

B- new to us, these had a very nice flavor, sweet with a crispy outside and a soft inside batter. Needed more honey butter and it was a small portion for the price.

Southern Chicken Biscuit- $8 at Lulu’s

B! Good amount of chicken. That biscuit is fire. A great way to start the day

Campfire Marble Sundae- $9.50 from Bridgeman’s

B. Bridgeman’s sure knows how to use a marbit to good effect. This is a surprising amount of ice cream. Basically a s’mores sundae. Wish the graham crackers were bits rather than dust.

Hey, Better Luck Next Time- Grade C Foods

Chilaquiles- $10 from Tejas Express

C. You know- this was actually not bad- even Sarah enjoyed it some. Flavors were good- has a kick. Where they earn a C is execution. They were pre-assembled so the chips were already soggy. If we’d had chips on the side then it’d be a different story.

 

Sweet Cheese Blintz- $5 at iPierogi

C- this had a great cream cheese flavor, and the crepe was soft, smooth and wonderful. We just wished it had been a little sweeter.

 

Buzz’n…Hot Honey Chicken Sausage Kebob- $11 at Sausage Sister & Me

C- perfectly serviceable, no real criticisms but nothing in particular stands out about the food. Good flavors, nice with the honey drizzle, and the coleslaw was actually pretty nice.

 

Kulfi (PBK flavor)- $5 at Hot Indian

C. First- unimpressed that it’s prepackaged and purchased from a wholesaler. This was…interesting? We liked the nuts and creaminess, but there was a flavor (the saffron?) that was interesting and kind of weird. We would like to try a different flavor maybe.

 

Reuben Roll- $10 at O’Garas

C. Chewy as opposed to crispy. Wrapper was a bit too thick. But flavors were not bad, even though we don’t like reubens. Packie is mad at them because he hit his knee on the barrel table.

 

All Quacked Up- $12 from Hideaway Speakeasy

C. You know, it’s not bad. The ham’s good, the egg is perfectly basted. But it def feels like something we could make at home, and an open-faced runny egg sammich is not something we come to the fair for.

 

Fruity Fruity Pebbles- $9.50 at the Hideaway Speakeasy

C. Perfectly Serviceable. Sort of like a Grape Ape

Belly Full Nordic Waffle- $12 at Nordic Waffles

C- rather bland, not much flavor to the pork belly and the jelly didn’t come through at all. Mostly just tasted the slaw. Meh.

 

Lemon Cookie Tortilla Chips- $9 at Blue Moon Dine-In Theater

C- we wished the chips were thinner and crispy, more chip/cracker than cookie. The cream dip with the lemon curd was great, though.

 

Turmeric Ginger Lemon Surprise- $6 at West Indies Soul Food

C- refreshing and sweet, the ginger and turmeric make for some interesting flavors. A fun drink to try. Pretty ginger forward.

 

Tandoor-fired Jerk Chicken Mini’zza- $7 from West Indies Soul Food

C. We liked the thinness and crispness of crust. Had a slight kick. A little small for the price. Ultimately it just felt like nbd.

 

Chicken Tandoori Rolls- $12 at Holy Land

C. First, could we just have one for six dollars? We liked the wrap, but filling was a little dry.

 

Molotes- 2 for $10 at Midtown Global Market- Andy’s Garage

B- the elote filling was good corn flavor and they didn’t skimp on the toppings.
C- the chipotle chicken filling was king of dry and the toppings didn’t help.
This was mostly Anne’s call on these, since elote makes Sarah and Packie cry.

 

Tirrokroketes- $7 at Dino’s Gyros

C. Texture was amazing! Filling was a bit intense. Wish it had a dipping sauce to ease that down a bit.

 

“Meat” and Balls Marinara- $12 from French Meadow Bakery

C. Eh. The marinara was good- especially liked that piece of garlic bread. The vegan Meatballs had a good meat texture- Anne was not a fan of the flavor (and Sarah was not a fan of the red sauce). Smelled great.

 

Celebration Cake-on-a-Stick- $6 or $7 at Mancini’s

C. It was light, but really dry. Needed more frosting to offset it. Kids might like it, can be personalized.

 

Red Velvet Funnel Cake- $12 from Salem Concessions

C. New to us (thanks Lauren and Michelle!) Yeah it was fine but ours was clearly overdone- crunchy through and through. Also wanted some more drizzle for sweetness. Would’ve prob rated a B if better cooked. Pricey like all of Salem’s stuff

Mini Deep Dish Pizza- $7 at Green Mill

C. Unofficial new food. This was fine. It maybe sat under the heat lamp too long so the crust dried out a bit too much. But Green Mill is good at making that pizza flavors pop.

Banana Nutella Crepes- $10 at the Crepes Stand

C. A new to us food. The Crepe itself was really good. Packie hates bananas and Sarah really only likes ripe bananas, so it tasted “too green” to her. Also expected it to be warm. Would definitely try a different crepe in the future.

Jumbo Tater Kegs- $10 at Sonny’s

We were split between a B and a C. B peeps thought they were just great. C people thought they were dry and needed the sour cream.

Chocolate Ice Cream Soda- $9 at Bridgeman’s

C- this was fine. Nice and smooth when mixed together and the soda made for an interesting buzz, but the flavor was kind of mild.

The Queen Arepa- $12 at Arepa Bar

C- really fresh, flavor was not bad, the arepa was crispy. Was surprised it came cold. Kind of on the fence for this one between a C and a B.

Papalon con Limon (limeade with cane sugar)- $7 at Arepa Bar

C. We were pretty split on this. The sourness is great and refreshing but it has an odd finish that we didn’t overly like and reminded us of applesauce. But we drank it all.

C’mon, What Are We DOING Here- Grade D Foods

Steakxorcist- $14 at Herbivorous Butcher

D. Okay. Listen. It eats like meat. And at first we were like, yeah! This is good! But then this unidentifiable flavor took over and, well, we did NOT enjoy the flavor at all.

 

Soulsicle- $9 from Soul Bowl

D. Listen. Some things are OK under a heat lamp. Toppings and sauces are not those things. Like leave the chicken in the heat lamp and then top to order? The breading was soggy as a result. Also flavors were not great- very hot sauce forward. Really wanted to like this, pretty disappointed.

 

Breakfast Gnocchi- $11.75 at the Blue Barn

D- so damn disappointing. The gnocchi were chewy and dense, not like a gnocchi at all. Eggs and pesto are OK, but the gnocchi ruins it.

 

Concha Bacon Burger- $12 at Aldo’s

D- the texture of the concha bun came off grainy or powdery and was really off-putting. Didn’t really get any heat despite the pepper jack cheese and jalapenos, and the bacon was a bit overpowering. The burger itself was good.

 

Coco Nuts Bowl- $12 at Baba’s

D- this hovered between a C and D for us. No real chocolate flavor in the hummus at all, and virtually no sweetness in the bowl except maybe with the bananas. Toppings were nice and so were the pita puffs.

NO!- Grade F Foods

Sweet Potato Poutine- $13.75 at Blue Barn

F. Blue Barn- what are we doing here? Why you back sliding?
I’m not even sure what to say. Def under the heat lamp too long. Doesn’t look like, taste like, or really even reference poutine? Beyond Chorizo? Chorizo is already the worst and plant versions do not redeem it.

 

Deep Fried Ice Cream- $8 from Snack House

F. Cmon. Wtf. This batter was so effing grainy. How does that happen with fried ice cream? IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE FLAKY.
There’s no redeeming qualities. Some lady told us it was “good” and she’s an effing liar.

So there we go! A Good 2022. We're in the New Food Announcement Season for 2023, so we'll be seeing you again soon, and THEN we'll see you at the Fair in about 50 days :-)

(our very first Trolley Ride- would recommend, when Pickle Rick Pizza line isn't shutting them down (true story)).