2024 State Fair New Foods Preview Part 4- Savory Eclairs in Two Varieties through Sweet Heat Bacon Crunch

 In case you were wondering, why yes- blogger did absolutely shit the bed on my formatting for these last two days.

Savory Eclairs in Two Varieties by Scenic 61 by New Scenic Cafe

Choux pastry eclair shell with choice of filling: Bahn Mi or Lobster.
Bahn Mi Eclair: Filled with pork confit, chicken liver pate, pickled carrot & daikon, cucumber and Sriracha mayo, garnished with micro cilantro- inspired by a traditional Vietnamese sandwich.
Lobster Eclair: Filled with lobster meat, celery, mayo, Cholula hot sauce, lime, chives and salt & pepper, topped with a dried corn and micro cilantro- inspired by a New England-style lobster roll.

Sarah

OOOOOOH! Savory eclairs!!! How fun!

I love the idea of eclairs. But for some reason they just don’t do it for me. Everyone else in the family likes them but they’re a big meh for me. I’m not into the filling I think? IDK. I love other choux pastry stuff though, like cream puffs so maybe I’m just a complicated bitch.

ANYWAY.

FUCK. We have to choose between Bahn Mi or Lobster???? That’s a fucking IMPOSSIBLE choice!

Shit. That Bahn Mi has chicken liver pate which sounds amazing and pork confit. Shit I want that right now. What about the lobster one?

DAMMIT! It’s like a Lobster roll! WE LOVE LOBSTER ROLLS!

What are we gonna do, guys? WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO??

Are we gonna have to get both?

I think we might have to get both. I’m very excited about these. Also maybe the most excited.

RIP our wallets.

Also Scenic 61 is another vendor we’ve never tried before. I really do think this is the theme this year.

WAIT! I just remembered that Scenic 61 is up there by Baba’s. They make that really expensive but very very good lobster roll. Fuuuuuu. I bet the lobster one will be extra good now

Packie

Really feeling like there are a lot of non-new vendors this year I just don’t recognize. This is another one.  Also, is it Scenic 61 or New Scenic Café? Just pick one dammit. So basically they’re offering a bahn mi sandwich or a lobster roll…but they’re putting them in eclairs instead of bread. I mean, I guess that could work? I like both of those things and maybe a savory éclair shell will bring an interesting new texture to the mix. Is that enough of a change to make this a novel idea? Not sure. I kind of want to try both of these, but we’ll probably start with one at least and see if we grab the other as well.

Anne

Oho! What do we have here? SAVORY ECLAIRS??! I may swoon.

I mean I assume it’s just a fancy sammich in a choux pastry but I’m excited to read on.

BANH MI OR LOBSTER? SHUT THE FRONT DOOR.

Ok first of all CHICKEN LIVER PATE on the Banh Mi?? Swoon. You lose me a bit with the Sriracha mayo  but still- this sounds bomb.

And Lobster- sounds like a bomb AF lobster roll (though again- hot sauce. I hope neither of these are too spicy) Isn’t this the place that does the absolutely BANGIN lobster roll? And has the food slide? I’m pretty sure it is but I will need to double check

(It Is)

Is this…is this the year I choose a savory option for my most excited? And for a sammich no less??

HOW WILL WE EVER CHOOSE WHICH ONE TO TASTE

We might just have to get both

Shroomy “Calamari” by French Meadow Bakery & Cafe

Oyster mushrooms hand-breaded and deep-fried. Served with a side of chipotle sauce. (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

Sarah

Okay so we’ve got deep fried mushrooms made to resemble calamari.

Love calamari. Love deep fried mushrooms. Pretty excited about this so far.

Okay so that’s it, I guess. Comes with chipotle aioli. I don’t like chipotle but like I said above aioli is the king of drizzle sauce and I’m sure it will be good.

I’m excited for these. 

French Meadow Bakery usually does good food. Though we’ll never forget the time it took us like an hour to get one thing from them (after we had already paid.)

Packie

Bring back the fucking doughsant!  Ahem, sorry…uh, what do we have here?  Looks like deep fried and battered mushroom with some dipping sauce.  Not a novel idea to be sure, but damn if it doesn’t look appetizing. Why is it ‘calamari’?  Because it looks kind of like deep fried calamari?  How did they pull that off, I wonder? Mushrooms ain’t shaped like that, so how they do that?  Whatever, I’m sure this will be fine.

Anne

Ok I was excited that this might be some sort of squid and mushroom concoction, but then I realized calamari was in quotes and this is from French Meadow bakery so now i’m betting that it’s just straight mushrooms to be a vegetarian or vegan calamari.

Ope- that’s exactly what it is.

Ugh- and oyster mushrooms.

I am a person that didn’t like mushrooms, then learned to like mushrooms, and then went too hard on mushrooms, and is now backing away from mushrooms. And oyster mushrooms are the least sexy of the options. But you know, French Meadow is usually pretty good at these sorts of things so maybe this will be good. It’s not super exciting, but I hope it’s tasty.

Strawberries and Cream Waffle Stick by Waffle Chix

Belgian waffle filled with strawberry shortcake cookie dough, topped with whipped cream and strawberry sauce, and served on-a-stick.

Sarah

Just writing this title made me happy. I love strawberries and cream so if they’ve found a way to put that on a stick, I’ll be pleased.

Okay we’ve got a Belgian waffle. That’s good. Then strawberry shortcake…cookie dough? Aww man. Come on. That’s a cookie, then. Not a shortcake. Wtf. Now I’m sad about this thing. At least it’s got whipped cream and strawberry sauce on it.

Sigh.

Okay, I still think this will taste good, but I’m just disappointed we’ve got more cookie products in place of things that are better and also match more what you’re going for.

IDK. Maybe I’m just a grump. It’s very hot while I’m writing this and I am pretty sticky so you know, who can say.Waffle Chix. Have we ever eaten anything from them? Are they new? I wish they’d label every new vendor new on their foods so I don’t have to find out later.Wait, Maybe they had like waffles that had sausage in them? And maybe they were bad? Why can’t I remember these things??

BACK.

Packie This is the first time I’ve done my reviews without scrolling through the pictures beforehand and there is a hint of existential dread that this will never end that I was unaware of. I mean…what if there is another Raging Ball in this list waiting to be sprung on me?  For now, though, we have waffles on a stick. I swear this was a new vendor last year, but I can’t for the life of me find any evidence of it and I’m too lazy to really dig into it to see if I’m right. (editor's note- 2022) Could have also been ten years ago and I am just once again proving my rapid progression of age like I drank from the wrong cup in the Last Crusade. Oh shit, this thing is stuffed with cookie dough? Hmm. Looks good, I suppose. Not really sure. I prefer my waffles sweet, so at least it’s not some savory waffle.

Anne

Ok- I remember Waffle Chix being a new vendor a few years ago, but did they have an official new food? I feel like we maybe haven’t eaten anything from them yet?? (or if we have it must not have been that memorable). Stand by, let me check

Ok nope- I don’t see them on our list

Well ok then, I am excited to formally try them out, and this looks great!

Oh, it's filled with a COOKIE DOUGH??! Now this is the sort of extra I come to expect from the MNSF New Foods List

If this is crunchy like I hope it will be, I think this could be real good. This is def in the running for my most excited for!

Strawberry Lemonade Donut by Fluffy’s Hand Cut Donuts

Hand-cut yeast-raised donut frosted with lemon buttercream, rolled in strawberry lemonade crunch, and garnished with lemon gummy candy and freeze-dried strawberry slice. Served with a strawberry lemonade-filled pipette to squeeze in more flavor. (Vegetarian)

Sarah

Whaaaaat is all over that donut?? Is it like those delicious bits you get on a strawberry shortcake ice cream bar? Or like dippin dots? Something else? They immediately caught my eye in a good way.

Okay a hand made donut. I do love me some donuts. But will this be a hard one to compare to those other new donuts from last year that had a line that stretched to Iowa and back? (I mean, that’s why you gots to get there early, folks (but not too early because for some dumb reason a donut truck wasn’t open for breakfast (this isn’t that place, is it? I have no memory of what that place is called and I’m way too tired to look it up)))

What kind of lemon buttercream are we talking about? A Swiss buttercream? Italian? Or a gross American buttercream?

Okay so it’s strawberry lemonade crunch. Not quite sure what that means but I’m excited to try it!

Though I will say I’m not too jazzed about the lemonade flavor. I’m generally of the opinion that lemonade flavor is for lemonade alone. I’d much rather have lemon flavor. 

Lemon gummy candy? We do be loving those. 

I don’t want the freeze dried strawberry, though. I’ve tried plenty of them from Anne’s baking or from when she’s feeding her hermit crabs. They’re too intense for me. And I’m not a huge strawberry fan anyway (I don’t want to eat them plain. I want them with something.)

Oh shit! It’s got a pipette to squeeze in more flavor! I’m both very excited about that and worried that it will A) make things soggy B) not work and be a disappointment C) not work and make a mess.

But I guess we’ll see!

Packie

Hahahahah! Oh shit! I was going to laugh about some new donut place trying to muscle on the new doughnut king at the fair, Peachy’s, but oh damn! This looks fucking incredible! Everything about this. The buttercream, the friggin’ strawberry lemonade crunch? The little garnishes? A goddamn strawberry lemonade filled pipette you get to squeeze into the donut? Even the picture itself is like a damn work of art.  Is this my most looked forward to new item? I need to go back and recheck the list, because this has immediately made me forget about everything else. Magnificent! Also, I just realized this place isn’t new and was actually around before Peachy’s, so my bad.

Anne

Oh this looks like one of those strawberry shortcake ice cream bars which are EXCELLENT.

Oh it looks like that’s sort of what it could be coated with (though with lemon in there too)

A PIPETTE FILLED WITH MORE FLAVOR??!

Hahahahahah!

Yusssssssss

God I hope this is crunchy and fluffy and flavorful. I recall enjoying their Ice Cream Donuts back in 2021 (they got a B). Let’s elevate 2024 to an A baby

Swedish Ice Cream Sundae by Salem Lutheran Church Dining Hall

Vanilla ice cream covered in lingonberry jam, sprinkled with Swedish ginger cookie crumble, and garnished with a ginger cookie heart. (Vegetarian)

Sarah

God, I love an ice cream sundae. Anne, let’s get that one we like from the Lena and Ole place. We haven’t had that one for years. I can’t even remember what it’s called it’s been so long. (editor's note- it's the Deep Fried Banana Split)

Okay so this is ice cream covered in jam. 

That…that doesn’t make a sundae. I’ll argue that jam isn’t even a sundae topping. Sure you’ve got those cookies on there and that’s good and all, but eh. I’m not a person who’s gonna ever be happy with the idea of jam on ice cream and calling that good. 

Literally ANYONE could make this. It takes no effort at all. Buy ice cream. Buy jam. Buy cookies. Put together. 

At least with a normal sundae you’d have a lot more toppings and maybe some special ice cream.

I don’t know. This feels phoned in and therefore I’m pissed off at it.

Where’s the fair magic? Where’s the delight?

Mediocre, Salem Lutheran Church Dining Hall. You might try to take a lesson from the Hamline Church Dining Hall. They at least put in some effort.

Packie

At a glance, I thought this was the Hamline Church Dining Hall, until I realized this is the place that sells the Swedish egg coffee by the Eco Building.  Looks like they leapt into the new foods game.  That said, this is basically just a sundae?  Yeah, it’s got lingonberry jam and a Swedish ginger cookie, but it’s otherwise just a basic sundae.  Real basic.  Ya basic, and I think I need to try your coffee again to really form an opinion, but that might be basic too!

Anne

Awww look at that little heart cookie. This looks delicious. And I love SLCDH in theory. However, their new foods tend to just be FINE. 

WAIT WAIT WAIT

I just did a spit take

This is SALEM Church Dining Hall, and not HAMLINE Church Dining Hall??!

Looks like the only thing we’ve ever had from them is their Swedish Egg Coffee (a B, year unknown).

Ok so what’re we working with here?

So it’s a vanilla sundae with lingonberry jam and Swedish ginger cookies. How are Swedish ginger cookies different? Also is it really straight up jam and not like a sauce?

I bet this will be tasty, but they are competing against other incredible ice cream options here, so Bon Chance (or as the Swedes would say, Lycka Till!) (listen I just used google translate for that so don’t come at me if it’s wrong)

Swedish ‘Sota Sliders by Hamline Church Dining Hall

Hamline Church Dining Hall's Cranberry-Wild Rice Meatball formed into patties, paired with Dill Havarti cheese and a red relish of beets, red onions, red peppers, lingonberries and cranberries, served on two brioche buns.

Sarah

Okay we’re back to something savory, thank god. I am honestly worried that we’re going to be really sweetened out at points during our trek. We might have to arrange our path to make it a bit more winding just so we can break up some of the sweet with savory.

Oh! LOL, Hamline Church Dining Hall! I JUST mentioned them! *waves*

What do we have here now…

Okay I do love a meatball and I love wild rice and I particularly love it IN things. I have no strong opinions on cranberries one way or the other. I think a berry is needed in the patty so it’s just gonna depend on the flavors. Blueberries might’ve been nice. I’m just sayin.

Okay dill Havarti. I’m not again it. Especially, as mentioned before, if it’s the herb and not dill pickle. Then all the reds: beets, onions, peppers (BOOOOOOO! Is this not supposed to be a SWEDISH dish? I don’t think Swedes are known for their heavy use of PEPPERS) and then more cranberries (meh) and lingonberries of course. Don’t know how I feel about mixing the berries but we’ll see. I like lingonberries more than cranberries for sure.

Dammit. Now I want Swedish meatballs but it’s definitely not the season for them.

Brioche is an excellent bread.

All right! This looks good. I hope it’s not too sweet cuz that’s the last thing we need at this point.

Looks good (though I’m bothered a bit by how unmelted that cheese is on the bun. Like not even a little bit.)

Packie

WOAH, déjà vu. No wait, this is the real deal this time. At first, I really liked the idea of a Swedish meatball slider, with the lingonberry jam and everything. Looking closer, though, there is a lot extra on this little sandwich, including dill Havarti cheese (wha?), a red relish of beets, red onions, red peppers, and lingonberries, AND cranberries. Holy crap, calm down with the red. Not sure how that will all pair together, but I kind of wish they’d just kept it simpler than that.

Anne Jesus are the swedes taking over or something? OH SHIIIIT IT’S HAMLINE CHURCH DINING HALL! IT’S A CHURCH SWEDE-OFF!!!! Ok well back to what i said before… “And I love SLCDH HCDH in theory. However, their new foods tend to just be FINE” We’re talking almost all Cs and 1 B (2022, Pistacchio Paleta). I gotta say, I am not loving the look of that patty. Or that slab of unmelted cheese. I assume that’s also a lingonberry jam on there. OPE! I was wrong- it’s a whole bunch of stuff that DOES include lingonberries, but also beets (wtf), red onions, red peppers (gross), and cranberries (boo). I guess if it’s red it belongs here. I’m calling it- another C (if they’re lucky) here. SLCDH is going to win the Swede-off.

Sweet Corn Cola Float by Blue Moon Dine-In Theater

Minnesota-made sweet corn cola and sweet corn ice cream in a cup, finished with whipped cream, popping candy and house-made frozen caramel.

Sarah

Is this from Blue Moon Dine In?

Yep.

I don’t know why I just assumed it was but sweet corn combined with a float just screams one of their concoctions cuz they usually do zany stuff and it almost always pays off!

I love me a root beer float. Like, really really love them, so I’m automatically excited about any other type of float. (though, again, more sweets)

Oh it’s sweet corn ice cream and sweet corn cola! I just assumed it was gonna be coke or something. Got the pop rocks I see. Don’t know if they’re needed. And who’s gonna get that caramel?

(I don’t think I’m gonna want it. If our mommy was with us, we’d give it to her because she loves caramels.)

Um okay yeah. I mean, I never get incredibly excited for drinks but sure on this one. Though, again, more sweets.

Packie

Hah, this thing sounds bananas. No, sorry, it's corn. Sweet corn cola? That just gives me the worst cringe feeling. I just…ugh, I worry what that’ll taste like. I love how the rest of it sounds, love the general idea of the thing. Because it is from Blue Moon, I want to keep an open mind, but…oh god, corn soda?! I don’t know man…I just…I don’t know.

Anne

Ridiculous- do you think it has actual corn in it? Or just like a sweet corn ice cream? Or what were those like nitro corn bites they did a while back? (Comet Corn, 2013. B) Maybe they’re incorporating that again?

Oh! Of COURSE the corn is in the Cola, wtf was I THINKING when I stupidly assumed it would just be in the ice cream??!

I was intrigued when I just assumed it was corn ice cream + coke (or whatever). I’m a little concerned about corn cola- I feel like I've had that before from like Jim’s Apple Farm and was not a fan. Where is the popping candy here? Is it that big brown nugget? Or what is that?

Well at least it’s just a bev so it won’t be too filling. I just don’t anticipate liking this, but I guess at least they went all in on the corn.

Sweet Heat Bacon Crunch by RC’s BBQ

Double-smoked slab bacon tossed in RC's red barbecue sauce and topped with hot honey & chili crunch, served over a bed of white rice, and garnished with green onions.

Sarah

I bet this is RC’s BBQ.

Yep.

Okay, just looking at this thing and seeing its name gets me very, very excited. 

But then I remember that often RC’s stuff is way too spicy for me, even if I like it.

Also we have a meat entry (thank god) but it’s also a sweet one. Can we get no relief?

Ope, it’s slab bacon. Yep. Good. It’s a red BBQ sauce so probably the red = hot. And then of course there’s hot honey (probably the sweet heat they mentioned) and then to make it even hotter we’ve got chili crunch (which might just be chili crisp? And if that’s the case, it might not be too spicy, but who can say?)

They put it over white rice at least so if it is spicy I can shove that in my mouth and cool it off.

Listen, if I wasn’t pretty sure that this was going to be too hot for me, it would probably be the thing I’m most looking forward to. But RC’s has burned me one too many times…

Packie

Not sure what makes bacon ‘slab bacon’, but this sounds pretty damn great. Love the combination of BBQ sauce, hot honey, and chili crunch, and some white rice to keep things cooled down if all of that gets too spicy. Usually a good bet with RC’s, so I’m really excited to dig into this. Sometimes, you just need a slab of meat and not overdo it with a bunch of extra crap thrown in.

Anne

Oh hell yes. The name, the pic- sign me up I don’t care what else they have to say about this.

Ok I lied, I did actually care what they had to say.

Something about the word “slab bacon” just sounds absolutely wonderful.

Now traditionally, RC has gone too hot for us. Which is a damn shame because we almost always love what they’re serving but get spiced out. They’ve never been able to nab that A because of that. I expect we’ll have the same issue here because I see Hot Honey, Chili Crunch and Sweet Heat all in this food item. Also sus that it’s served on a bed of white rice (to cut the heat??).

Still, I am excite.

One more day to gooooooo!