With proper planning and some insider tips from local foodies, eating well at the fair is possible without exceeding your budget. Here are some recommendations for hidden gems and affordable meals at this year’s State Fair.
Aaron enjoyed the peppery flavors and rich filling of Afro Deli’s chicken sambusa from its newly opened booth in the Food Building.
1. Funnel Cake
Funnel Cake is a classic fair food that will transport you back to childhood memories of summer fun with friends and family at carnival rides, money-theft games, and delicious fried foods. Nothing says carnival like funnel cake, with its fluffy interior and crispy exterior, dusted with powdered sugar as the crowning glory!
Though it may seem complex to make at home, only essential ingredients and techniques are needed to achieve delicious county fair treats in just minutes.
Making this delicious fried dessert requires carefully crafting its batter. Start by whisking together dry ingredients before slowly mixing in wet ones until evenly distributed. Use a funnel to drizzle it into hot oil. When golden-brown cakes emerge from their pans, turn them over and continue cooking on their other sides before transferring them to paper towel-lined plates to drain excess oil before dusting them with powdered sugar and serving immediately!
Funnel cakes are an ideal snack to serve at any special event or celebration, as they’re easy to prepare quickly with various topping options and store well in the fridge for multiple days – perfect for sharing this timeless carnival treat with your loved ones! So go ahead, create some, and share it!
2. Corn on the Cob
Corn on the cob is an irresistibly refreshing side dish for every summer cookout, barbecue, and picnic, serving as the ideal complement to many meat or vegetarian entrees such as grilled chicken, hamburgers, and veggie kebabs.
But to obtain optimal corn texture, the right ingredients and methods must be utilized when preparing it. You want the kernels of your corn to be sweet, plump, and tender; choose corn with its husk still attached, as they provide moisture retention while adding flavor. Select freshly bright green husks tightly sealed together; avoid ears with brown or yellow spots, as these indicate they have aged and become dry.
Avoid adding too much salt when boiling corn, which can toughen it and compromise its taste. Instead, one of my dad’s secrets for perfect corn is adding sugar that sweetens and enhances its flavor.
Oven-roasted corn is an easy dish to make and requires only minimal ingredients and ingredients. Use fresh herbs such as parsley, basil, chives, or rosemary in butter to flavor this deceptively simple meal for optimal results. Add chili powder or paprika for additional spice and color, while Cotija cheese adds another delicious layer.
3. Mini Donuts
At the Minnesota State Fair, fried and stick foods are two popular trends, so this dish provides the best of both worlds: crispy thin-cut dill pickle chips covered in not-too-sweet cornmeal batter are deep-fried before being served warm with a sweet and creamy dipping sauce.
Problematic fair food includes items that try to fix something that does not need fixing, such as cheese curds without funnel cake batter added; adding cheesecake doesn’t improve this dish either. Crunchy bites of fried batter with melting cheese inside work fine – once you start snacking away, it cannot be easy to stop!
On a hot day, this refreshing treat makes an ideal and guilt-free snack. A light lemony sorbet studded with bits of zest adds vibrant citrus flavor without altering its texture too much – plus, its presentation in half of a frozen lemon would be more eco-friendly without being wrapped in plastic wrap! These powdered sugar donuts make an irresistibly tasty breakfast or dessert choice at home – bake a batch now to add fun breakfast or dessert treats for you and the kids – they even look cute when decorated with toppings such as sprinkles, chocolate chips, mini peanut butter sandwiches or strawberry sauce drizzled onto them!
4. Walleye on a Stick
Walleye is a favorite choice at Fish Fry’s, and there are various methods of preparation available to you to enjoy this delicacy from Canada. From pan-frying and grilling to deep frying and stuffing – walleye is sure to satisfy every time it appears on your table! Whatever preparation method is chosen – walleye always proves deliciously simple and quick to create!
One of the easiest and most common methods of cooking walleye is breading and then frying it. This simple process utilizes ingredients you may already have in your pantry: Mix flour, garlic powder, pepper, and salt into one shallow bowl before beating an egg separately and mixing cracker crumbs in another. Finally, combine all the components and coat each piece of walleye in this mixture before placing it back in the fryer.
Fill and wrap walleye in prosciutto for an easy yet nutritious dish! Before beginning this dish, however, be sure to first clean and season the walleye fish with salt and pepper for best results.
Cut your fillet into small pieces using either a sharp knife or kitchen shears, then create your stuffing by mixing cheeses, dill pickle relish, fresh garlic cloves, and spices – this combination should make an irresistibly flavorful stuffing that can then be rolled into walleye fillets before being deep fried.
